Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday, November 11, 2021 warned against allowing tensions in the Indo–Pacific to spill over into the Cold War mentality. Australia has announced a new security alliance in the region that would see Australia build nuclear submarines. China has severely criticized the deal.
Xi spoke in a pre–recorded video at an APEC CEO Summit, which is hosted by New Zealand in a virtual format. Xi is expected to attend an online meeting with other Pacific leaders, including US President Joe Biden. , Saturday. In his speech, Xi said attempts to draw borders in the region along ideological or geopolitical lines would fail. it cannot and must not fall back into the confrontation and division of the Cold War era, ”Xi said.Mr.Xi also said the region should make sure to keep supply lines functioning and to continue liberalising trade and investment.”China will remain firm in advancing reform and opening up so as to add impetus to economic development,” he said.
The most pressing task in the region is to make an allout effort to fight the pandemic and to emerge from its shadow as soon as possible, he said.In all, APEC members account for nearly 3 billion people and about 60 per cent of the world’s GDP.But deep tensions run through the unlikely group of 21 nations and territories that include the US, China, Taiwan, Russia and Australia.
China claims vast parts of the South China Sea and other areas and has moved to establish a military presence, building islands in some disputed areas as it asserts its historic claims.Both Taiwan and China have applied to join a Pacific Rim trade pact, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for TransPacific Partnership, with Beijing saying it will block Taiwan’s bid on the basis that the democratically governed island refuses to accept that it’s part of communistruled China.And it remains unclear whether all APEC members will support a bid by the US to host the 2023 round of APEC meetings.
