Experts believe Prime Minister-elect Chris Luxon should've been at the APEC Summit in San Francisco.

Days of meetings involving ministers and world leaders were ultimately dominated by a meeting between US president, Joe Biden, and China’s Xi Jinping.

Caretaker trade minister Damien O'Connor represented New Zealand at the event, due to a Government not yet being formed.

Former intelligence and defence policy analyst Doctor Paul Buchanan, says if not Mr Luxon, it should've been Chris Hipkins heading along.

"It was a pity Luxon didn't go, because he had the opportunity to represent continuity in our trade perspective."

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