Healthy and stable relations between China and the United States are imperative to maintain a stable international environment and effectively respond to global challenges, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday during a virtual summit with US President Joe Biden.
"A healthy and sustainable relationship between China and the United States is essential to advance the development of the two countries and ensure a peaceful and stable international environment, including an effective response to global challenges such as climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic," Sputnik reported quoting Chinese Foreign Ministry reported.
Xi Jinping expressed his readiness to work with US President Joe Biden to build consensus to move China-US relations forward, adding that both the countries are at critical stages of development and the "global village" of humanity faces multiple challenges.
Xi made these remarks during his highly-anticipated virtual meeting with Biden, where the latter is expected to "raise concerns" over Beijing's actions and "insist the communist regime play by the rules of the road".
During his opening remarks, Xi stressed that a sound and steady China-US relationship is required for advancing the two countries' respective development and for safeguarding a peaceful and stable international environment, including finding effective responses to global challenges such as climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic.
China and the US should respect each other, co-exist in peace, and pursue win-win cooperation, he said.
Xi also expressed his readiness to work with Biden to build consensus and take active steps to move China-US relations forward in a positive direction. Doing so will advance the interests of the two peoples and meet the expectation of the international community, he said.
In the very beginning of his remark, Chinese Xi said, "Although we can't see each other face to face, this is not bad, either. I feel very happy to see my old friend." Biden nodded and said, "Thank you".
The US President opened the virtual summit noting that both have "spent an awful lot of time talking to each other" over the years, and "maybe I should start more formally even though you and I have never been that formal."
This is the first meeting between the two leaders since Biden has assumed office. Although both have spoken twice over the phone so far.
( With inputs from ANI )
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