'Cold War era' could return to Asia-Pacific, warns Xi

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday warned against a return to Cold War-era tensions in the Asia-Pacific.

'The Asia-Pacific region cannot and should not relapse into the confrontation and division of the Cold War era,' he said at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit via video, Xinhua reported.

The Chinese President also said that at present, COVID-19 is still ravaging the world, and the journey to global economic recovery remains a difficult and tortuous one, the media outlet reported.

He urged the region to make all-out efforts to fight COVID-19.

'At this trying time, it is all the more important that we should stay confident, keep a steady hand on the tiller, and forge ahead with determination,' Xinhua News Agency reported Xi as saying.

China had not attended the COP26 climate change conference last week.

The country had also not attended India-convened security dialogue on Afghanistan citing 'scheduling reasons'.

Meanwhile, the bilateral virtual meeting between United States President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping is likely to hold on Monday, as per Russian media Sputnik.