China deeply lamented that the meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors, held between Monday and Tuesday in Asheville, in the US state of North Carolina, ended without being able to issue a joint statement. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun made this statement at a press conference, without confirming that the disagreements were due to the issue of global trade imbalances, as suggested in the question directed to him. Guo merely stated that the different parties expressed different views on the relevant issues during the meeting.
The representative of Chinese diplomacy argued that the G20, as the main forum for international economic cooperation, should address major global economic issues in an objective, fair and balanced manner, based on consensus and equal participation. China hopes that the United States, as the group's presidency, will work with all members in accordance with these principles and fully respect the legitimate concerns of all parties.
The Asheville meeting focused, among other topics, on economic growth and sovereign debt. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent advocated for reducing regulatory obstacles and greater economic growth as a way to contain high levels of indebtedness. The meeting was also marked by economic uncertainty caused by the war with Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, warned at the end of the meeting that the energy shock has not yet ended.
