Thursday November 11, 2021
Xi Jinping towards the USA
China warns of rifts like in the Cold War
Surprisingly, the US and China want to work together on climate protection. But there is considerable tension between the two great powers over their security strategies. China’s head of state Xi Jinping strikes an alarming tone.
China’s head of state Xi Jinping has warned of a return to a Cold War-like split in the Asia-Pacific region. “Attempts to draw ideological lines or to form small groups on a geopolitical basis are doomed to failure,” said Xi at a virtual conference on the sidelines of the New Zealand-hosted Apec summit.
“The Asia-Pacific region cannot and should not relapse into the Cold War confrontation and division,” said Xi. Instead, the countries in the region would have to tackle common challenges together – from the corona pandemic to trade.
Shortly after the announcement of a surprising cooperation between China and the USA to tighten the climate targets, Xi spoke at the UN climate conference in Glasgow. While Xi did not directly mention the deal, he said, “All of us can embark on the path of green, low-carbon sustainable development.” Together, “a future of green development” is possible.
Relationships at “historic turning point”
Although the US government sees climate policy as an important area of possible cooperation with China, there are still considerable tensions with regard to the rival security strategies of the two countries in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly with regard to Taiwan.
On Tuesday evening, however, Xi had shown himself to be conciliatory in a message delivered by the Chinese ambassador to the United States. Relations between the two countries are currently at an “important historical turning point”; both will benefit from cooperation and lose through confrontation. Beijing is ready to work with Washington.
Xi’s style of government has so far been characterized by an increasingly decisive approach in international relations. At a plenary session of the Communist Party in Beijing on Thursday, Xi’s position was to be further cemented. The meeting paves the way to the 20th party congress in the autumn of next year, at which Xi is to be secured a third term in office. This would further consolidate his role as the most powerful head of state since Mao Zedong.