Chinese Government Belatedly 'Congratulates' Biden... Uses 'Mr.' Instead of 'President-Elect'

Trump Refuses to Accept Election Results
Concerns Over Election Uncertainty and Impact on US-China Relations

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] On the 3rd, China expressed congratulations to President-elect Joe Biden for the first time since the U.S. presidential election. Unlike other countries, China had delayed official congratulatory remarks.

Wang Wenbin, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a regular briefing on the 13th, "We are paying attention to the international community's response to the U.S. presidential election," and added, "We respect the choice of the American people and extend our congratulations to Mr. Biden and Ms. Harris."

However, Spokesperson Wang used the title "Mr. Biden" instead of "President-elect" when congratulating President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.

He also reiterated the existing position, saying, "As far as we know, the results of the U.S. presidential election are finalized according to U.S. laws and procedures."

Chinese President Xi Jinping, unlike several other world leaders, has not yet sent a congratulatory message to President-elect Biden.

The Washington Post analyzed that the Chinese government's cautious stance is a result of being mindful of President Donald Trump. It explained that this choice considers the uncertainty of the election results and its potential impact on U.S.-China relations, given that President Trump has not acknowledged his defeat.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.