Contributions from Carin Zissis
Facing a global financial crisis, 21 leaders met in Lima to caution against protectionism and call for resumption of the Doha Round of trade talks. The APEC summit also served as U.S. President George W. Bush's last scheduled trip abroad, where he pressed for “free markets, free trade, and free people.”
Chinese President Hu Jintao's trip to Latin America helps cement Beijing's growing relationship with the region. After the G20 summit and before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference in Lima, Hu traveled to Costa Rica and Cuba.
With a political transition in progress, the Bush administration continues to urge passage of the U.S.-Colombia trade pact. But whether the deal will gain congressional approval during a lame-duck session remains in doubt.