TOKYO, September 25. /TASS/: The coronavirus pandemic exacerbated the confrontation between the United States and China, and Russia should diplomatically prevent the development of this conflict, former leader of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev said in an article published by the Asahi Shimbun newspaper on Friday.
"The pandemic exacerbated a new bipolar conflict that arose as a result of increased tensions between the United States and China. No scenario for the development of a bipolar conflict can be positive from the point of view of international politics. In the late 1980s, the principle of new thinking really found its application and proved its effectiveness in ending the cold war," he said.
"Today it would be wise for Russia to return to the new political thinking and set as a goal to diplomatically prevent a bipolar conflict between the United States and China," Gorbachev summed up.
Relations between China and the United States have deteriorated in recent years due to disputes over trade duties, among other reasons. Accusations made by President of the United States Donald Trump against Beijing for a belated and insufficient response to the initial coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan led to a new aggravation of the situation.
