Chinese president says pandemic is far from over

ANKARA

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday said the COVID-19 pandemic is “far from over,” urging global cooperation and strengthening of multilateralism to continue the fight against the contagion.

Guided by science, reason, and the humanitarian spirit, the world has achieved initial progress in the fight against COVID-19, but the pandemic is far from over, Xi said while addressing the Davos Agenda of World Economic Forum via a live video link.

“The recent resurgence in COVID cases reminds us that we must carry on the fight. Yet we remain convinced that winter cannot stop the arrival of spring and darkness can never shroud the light of dawn,” he added.

Besides, other countries, locally transmitted coronavirus cases are on the rise in China despite the authorities claiming success over the infection late last year.

Calling for strengthening the G20, Xi spelled several steps to overcome the economic crisis triggered by the pandemic.

“The first is to step up macro-economic policy coordination and jointly promote strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth of the world economy,” the Chinese president said, adding that the world is going through “the worst recession since the end of World War II.”

“We need to shift the driving forces and growth models of the global economy and improve its structure, so as to set the course for long-term, sound and steady development of the world economy,” he said.

Xi urged the world community to “abandon ideological prejudice” and instead to “jointly follow a path of peaceful coexistence, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation.”

“No two leaves in the world are identical, and no histories, cultures or social systems are the same. Each country is unique with its own history, culture and social system, and none is superior to the other,” he argued.

Close North-South gap

The leader of world's second-largest economy said the international community must work to “close the divide between developed and developing countries.”

“Today, inequality continues to grow, the North-South gap remains to be bridged, and sustainable development faces severe challenges,” he said.

Advocating more space and resources for developing countries, Xi said: “We should recognize that with the growth of developing countries, global prosperity and stability will be put on a more solid footing and developed countries will stand to benefit from such growth.”

He called for a joint response to “global challenges and create a better future for humanity.”

“In the era of economic globalization, public health emergencies like COVID-19 may very well recur, and global public health governance needs to be enhanced,” he added.

Urging support for multilateralism, Xi said: “We should stay committed to openness and inclusiveness instead of closeness and exclusion.”

“Multilateralism is about having international affairs addressed through consultation and the future of the world decided by everyone working together,” he said while slamming what he called “building small circles or starting a new Cold War.”

Threats, sanctions will lead to dead end

Xi called out threats, intimidation, supply disruption and sanctions, saying: “It will only push the world into division and even confrontation.”

“We cannot tackle common challenges in a divided world, and confrontation will lead us to a dead end. Humanity has learned lessons the hard way, and that history is not long gone. We must not return to the path of the past,” he stressed.