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China's Xi calls for unity in fighting virus, climate change

Xi Jinping
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Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for cooperation in fighting the twin challenges of the pandemic and climate change in an address to the World Economic Forum.

He said Monday that humankind only has “one Earth and one future" and must pull together to avoid conflict and resolve differences through respectful dialogue.

“As we cope with the current crisis and endeavor to make a better day for everyone, we need to stand united and work together,” he said.

“We have been shown time and again that to beggar thy neighbor, to go it alone and to slip into arrogant isolation will always fail. Let us all join hands and let multilateralism light our way toward a community with a shared future for mankind,” Xi added.

Much of what the Chinese leader said was a reiteration of Beijing's usual stance on such issues.

Xi was speaking from Beijing to the virtual gathering that is taking place in lieu of the annual in-person meetings in Davos, Switzerland, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The forum has said it plans to hold its annual meeting in person in May in Singapore.