China on Friday shed its initial hesitation and congratulated U.S. President-elect Joe Biden and his deputy Kamala Harris on their victory in the 2020 U.S. presidential election, saying Beijing respects the choice of the American people. .
“We have been following the reactions on the American elections both within the United States and the international community,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin at a press conference here when he noted that more world leaders as well like the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, have congratulated Biden, 77 years.
“We respect the choice of the American people and extend our congratulations to Biden and Harris and we understand that the outcome of the US presidential election will be determined following the laws and procedures of the United States,” Wang said.
China initially hesitated to congratulate Biden, a Democrat, after Republican President Donald Trump refused to budge.
On November 9, Wang refused to congratulate Biden on his victory, saying that the outcome of the US elections should be determined by the country’s laws and procedures. However, she was more outspoken about Harris’ victory as the first female vice president-elect.
When reminded of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s statement calling for greater gender equality at a recent UN conference on women and whether China has any comments on Harris, Wang cited a Chinese saying that women occupy half of the sky.
“In China, there is a saying that women have half the sky. China is committed to achieving gender equality and promoting the development of women around the world, ”he said.
Trump’s four years in power were the worst phase in China-U.S. Relations, as the ruling Communist Party of China, led by President Xi, struggled to grapple with what China officials say is the Most elusive and unpredictable American leader since former US President Richard Nixon in 1972 established ties with the communist nation.
During his tenure, Trump aggressively lobbied on all aspects of US-China relations, including with his relentless trade war, challenging China’s military control over the disputed South China Sea, his constant threats to Taiwan, and calling out the coronavirus. as “China virus” after its emergence from Wuhan in December last year.
Chinese strategic experts said that Biden’s entry into the White House is expected to provide an opportunity to make progress in resuming high-level communication and rebuilding mutual strategic trust between the two major countries.
“Biden’s tenure could usher in a buffer period for the already strained US-China relations and offer an opportunity to make progress in resuming high-level communication and rebuilding mutual strategic trust. between the two countries, “state-run Global Times quoted Chinese experts as saying on Monday.
Jin Canrong, associate dean of the School of International Studies at Renmin University of China in Beijing, said Biden will usher in a “buffer period” for Sino-US relations; Relationships can still get worse, but not so fast. “Biden will be more moderate and mature in handling foreign affairs,” Jin said. Biden is expected to appoint more professional officials to his diplomatic team, so it will be possible for tensions between the United States and China to take a short break, he said.
The vicious cycle has damaged strategic mutual trust, a suspension of high-level communication and little concrete cooperation, Xin Qiang, deputy director of the Center for United States Studies at Fudan University, told the newspaper.
Now one might hope that some stalled liaison mechanisms and dialogues could be resumed, “but it will take time to rebuild mutual strategic trust,” he said. However, the pending change in US leadership will not change the overall direction of Washington’s policy toward China, observers said. Regardless of who resides in the White House, the United States will maintain its current focus on China to some extent, experts said. PTI KJV ZH AKJ ZH ZH
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