Finance leaders pledge to protect economic growth from trade tensions, but don't call for U.S.-China resolution


Finance ministers and central bank chiefs from the Group of 20 wrapped up a meeting in Fukuoka, Japan, on Sunday with a pledge to do all they can to protect global economic growth from trade tensions and other issues.
In a joint communiqué, the finance leaders from the world's 20 major economies said that risks from trade battles were "intensifying," though the statement refrained from mentioning any specific conflict by name, including the growing rift between the United States and China.
The communiqué also said the leaders expect global growth, which is currently stable, to pick up later this year. However, the final version of the communiqué did not include a statement calling for the "pressing need to resolve trade tensions" that was bracketed in an earlier draft, meaning that not every official agreed to its inclusion in the final version. In fact, "fiery" negotiations over the language of the communiqué nearly derailed its issuance, Reuters reports.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The finance leaders also agreed to come up with a common rules system by 2020 to close loopholes used by tech giants, including Facebook and Google, to reduce their corporate tax rates.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
Economists fear US inflation data less reliable
speed read The Labor Department is collecting less data for its consumer price index due to staffing shortages
-
Crypto firm Coinbase hacked, faces SEC scrutiny
Speed Read The Securities and Exchange Commission has also been investigating whether Coinbase misstated its user numbers in past disclosures
-
Starbucks baristas strike over dress code
speed read The new uniform 'puts the burden on baristas' to buy new clothes, said a Starbucks Workers United union delegate
-
Warren Buffet announces surprise retirement
speed read At the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, the billionaire investor named Vice Chairman Greg Abel his replacement
-
Trump calls Amazon's Bezos over tariff display
Speed Read The president was not happy with reports that Amazon would list the added cost from tariffs alongside product prices
-
Markets notch worst quarter in years as new tariffs loom
Speed Read The S&P 500 is on track for its worst month since 2022 as investors brace for Trump's tariffs
-
Tesla Cybertrucks recalled over dislodging panels
Speed Read Almost every Cybertruck in the US has been recalled over a stainless steel panel that could fall off
-
Crafting emporium Joann is going out of business
Speed Read The 82-year-old fabric and crafts store will be closing all 800 of its stores