U.S. and China may meet at Singapore's 'Davos', WEF says
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[January 29, 2021]
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - United States
President Joe Biden's new administration may hold meetings with Chinese
counterparts at a World Economic Forum meeting in Singapore in May, the
organisation's president said on Friday.
Borge Brende was speaking in a virtual dialogue with Singapore's prime
minister, who called for a reset of the relationship between the two
superpowers.
"Singapore has had very close ties with the U.S. but also worked very
well with China," Brende said.
"The special annual meeting could be a place where you could see the new
Biden administration and China meet."
The meeting has been moved from its usual home in the Swiss town of
Davos, from where it takes its informal name, to Singapore over concerns
about COVID-19 in Europe.
Beijing has been pushing for greater global influence in a challenge to
traditional U.S. leadership. Relations between the two nations soured
under former U.S. President Donald Trump's administration over trade
tariffs and Trump's criticism of China's handling of the coronavirus
pandemic.
"It cannot possibly be too late for the U.S. and China to reset the tone
of their interactions, and avert a clash between them," said Singapore
PM Lee Hsien Loong.
"The new U.S. administration is an opportunity to steer the relationship
towards safer waters," he said, adding the U.S.-China relationship
should become a key strategic priority for Biden.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the opening session of the
Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) at the
Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China May 21, 2020.
REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins
Neither China or the United States have said whether they will send
officials to the meeting due to be held from May 25-28, over which
there remains uncertainty given the pandemic still raging across
many parts of the world.
Lee said Singapore would work with the forum to ensure the health
and safety of all.
"I welcome all of you to Singapore in May...and forge a new path
forward together," Lee said in prepared remarks.
(Reporting by Aradhana Aravindan in Singapore; Editing by Raju
Gopalakrishnan)
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