Experts say Xi-Biden virtual meeting sends positive signal on China-U.S. ties

BEIJING, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- Political experts and scholars around the world view the virtual meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart, Joe Biden, as a strong signal that would enhance positive expectations of the international community on bilateral ties.

The two heads of state had a virtual meeting on Tuesday. The two sides had thorough and in-depth communication and exchanges on issues of strategic, overarching and fundamental importance shaping the development of China-U.S. relations and on important issues of mutual interest.

Robert Lawrence Kuhn, chairman of the Kuhn Foundation, told Xinhua that the virtual meeting is an applauding step in navigating the bilateral relationship to the right direction.

Noting that the meeting was "exceedingly important" and "a small uptick in the right direction, he said the importance of the online meeting has been "significantly elevated" as the world is facing serious challenges that could hardly be tackled without the U.S.-China cooperation.

Kenneth Quinn, president emeritus of the World Food Prize Foundation and former U.S. ambassador to Cambodia, told Xinhua that close collaboration between the two sides is "absolutely essential" to enable humankind to meet the great challenges in the future, including food shortage, the negative impact from climate change, and public health risks.

Calling the meeting "very encouraging," Lyazid Benhami, vice-president of the Paris Association of French-Chinese Friendship, said that the two countries have obligation not only to their peoples but also to the rest of the world.

Cavince Adhere, an international relations scholar in Kenya, said that the world expects to see more stable and sustainable relations between the two countries. This raises prospects for a more stable international system which can facilitate global cooperation for the benefit of mankind.

"The rest of the world can make little progress in addressing the international challenges without full participation and cooperation of China and the United States," he said, referring to such issues as the COVID-19 pandemic, and climate crisis.

Herman Tiu Laurel, founder of Philippine-BRICS Strategic Studies, said that China and the United States, two major powers on earth, shoulder the hope of the entire world for a safe, secure and healthy place attaining prosperity for all, which can only be achieved by the partnership of the two.

Faced with common challenges, the commitment and efforts towards durable and permanent peace, as well as stable international political and diplomatic environment is paramount for the major powers to promise and pursue, Laurel added.