BEIJING—Global finance officials promised Sunday to protect the world economy from the shockwaves of Britain’s European Union referendum and to boost sluggish growth.
Envoys of the Group of 20 major economies also rejected trade protectionism, an issue that has risen in prominence as U.S. Republication presidential candidate Donald Trump stirs unease with talk about restricting access to American markets.
The gathering of finance ministers and central bank governors from the United States, China, Britain, Germany and other governments took place against a backdrop of a weak global recovery that was rattled by Britain’s vote to leave the EU and trade tension over Chinese exports of low-priced steel.
The British vote “increased global economic uncertainty,” said a joint statement by the officials, who were meeting in Chengdu in western China.
“G-20 members are ready to actively respond to the potential economic and financial impact brought by the British referendum,” said the statement. “In the future, we hope to see Britain as a close partner of the EU.”
On Friday, the director-general of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, called for quick action to end uncertainty about the British-EU split. She said that turmoil prompted the IMF to cut its forecast of this year’s global growth by 0.1 percentage point.
Sunday’s statement promised to use “any and all policy instruments” to achieve “strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth objectives.” The governments promised to strengthen communication and cooperation but announced no joint action, as some financial traders had hoped.
“We are taking action to boost confidence and promote growth,” said the statement.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew said ahead of the meeting that it was not the right time for coordinated action similar to that in 2008-09 following the global crisis because economies face different conditions.
