17 July 2021 Ardern chaired a virtual informal Apec leaders' retreat overnight, which included US president Joe Biden, China president Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Japan's newish PM Prime Yoshihide Suga. Ardern chaired a virtual informal Apec leaders' retreat overnight, which included US president Joe Biden, China president Xi Jinping, Russian president Vladimir Putin, and Japan's newish PM Prime Yoshihide Suga. "I think the sticking point in part might actually be just the way that vaccines are regarded by [different countries]. Ardern noted the leaders' support for what Apec trade ministers agreed to four weeks ago - removing tariffs on vaccines and vaccine consumables. The meeting was the first that Xi and Biden have attended together since Biden was sworn in six months ago.

Source: New Zealand Herald July 16, 2021 18:00 UTC