Gyeongju (South Korea), 31 October (LaPresse/AP) – Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for efforts to promote economic globalisation and multilateralism, as his country positions itself as a defender of free trade systems which, according to observers, have been damaged by tariff increases and President Donald Trump's “America first” policy. ‘The more turbulent the times, the more we must work together,’ Xi said during the opening session of APEC, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, which began today in the South Korean city of Gyeongju. ‘The world is undergoing a period of rapid change, with the international situation becoming increasingly complex and unstable,’ he added.