(Wellington) Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday warned of a return to Cold War-like tensions in the Asia-Pacific region, insisting on greater cooperation to emerge from the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and fight against climate change.
“Attempts to draw ideological lines or form small groups based on geopolitics are doomed to failure,” he said during a virtual economic conference on the sidelines of the summit of the Asia Economic Cooperation Forum -Pacific (Apec). “The Asia-Pacific region cannot and must not fall back into the confrontations and divisions of the Cold War.”
The Chinese president also called for joint efforts to move closer to collective immunity, by making vaccines more accessible to disadvantaged countries.
“We need to translate the consensus that vaccines are a global public good into concrete actions to ensure their honest and equitable distribution,” he said.
Xi said the Asia-Pacific region needs to ensure that developing countries can access and afford COVID-19 vaccines.
On Wednesday, China and the United States announced at COP26 in Glasgow (UK) a “joint statement on strengthening climate action”, a key area in which the Biden administration sees potential for cooperation between the two countries.
“We can all embark on a path of green, low-carbon and sustainable development,” added Chairman Li, without explicitly mentioning the agreement.
“Together, we can lead towards a future of green development,” he said.
He also assured that China would remain “engaged in the promotion of a win-win cooperation” and that it would contribute “to the economic development of the Asia-Pacific region”.