Ministers gathering this week in Ottawa face a challenge that elevates the adjective “daunting” to previously unexplored heights. They will attempt to restore a battered 70-year-old institution to its former role to help defuse an increasingly bitter struggle for economic supremacy by two of the world’s greatest trading powers. To attempt this mammoth task they will be armed with little more than persuasive diplomacy and the power of good ideas.

The meeting was called by the Canadian government and includes representatives from a dozen economies including the EU and Japan. Attendees will try to reform the World Trade Organization enough to placate Donald Trump, who regards it as a rogue agent hostile to US interests, without alienating China, which senses that it is being ganged up on by rich countries.

In practice it may be impossible to bridge this gap, particularly since Mr Trump sees China as a broad-spectrum foe across political and strategic as well as economic fronts. In that case, there is little that the other countries can do for the moment except try to keep the multilateral flame alive.