US President Joe Biden said Wednesday he made it clear to Chinese President Xi Jinping that America will “defend [its] interests across the board,” including ensuring freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific region.
“I also told President Xi that we will maintain a strong military presence in the Indo-Pacific just as we do with NATO in Europe – not to start a conflict but to prevent one,” Biden said in his first speech to Congress.
In an aside that was not in prepared remarks, Biden noted his extensive dealings with Xi when both were vice presidents – and warned that China’s most powerful leader in years had firm plans for the future.
“He’s deadly earnest on becoming the most significant, consequential nation in the world,” Biden said.
Tensions have sharply risen with China over the past few years as the United States also take issue with China’s assertive military moves and human rights concerns, including what Washington has described as genocide against the mostly Muslim Uyghur minority.
Biden said he was not seeking conflict with China as he put a renewed focus on diplomacy.
“We’re in a competition with China and other countries to win the 21st century,” Biden said, warning: “Autocrats think democracies can’t compete.”
Biden said he told Xi in a two-hour first phone conversation after taking office: “We welcome the competition – and that we are not looking for conflict.”
“But I made absolutely clear that we will defend America’s interests across the board. America will stand up to unfair trade practices that undercut American workers and industries, like subsidies for state-owned enterprises and the theft of American technologies and intellectual property,” he said.