Biden: "Xi Jinping Far from Democracy"

"No Reason Not to Talk, But No Opportunity for Conversation"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] U.S. President Joe Biden said he has not had the opportunity to speak with Chinese President Xi Jinping but mentioned, "There is no reason why I can't call him."

President Biden also assessed that President Xi is far from democratic and stated that while there may not be a physical clash with China, extreme competition will take place, anticipating that conflicts between the U.S. and China could continue in the future.

President Biden made these remarks on the 7th (local time) in an interview with CBS, the broadcaster of the Super Bowl. The interview was conducted on the 5th, the day after President Biden visited the State Department and gave a speech on foreign policy.

In his speech at the time, President Biden referred to China as the most serious competitor and emphasized that he would confront China's attacks on human rights, intellectual property rights, and global governance, while also stating that he is prepared to cooperate with China if it aligns with national interests.

President Biden once again took an assertive stance toward China.

He emphasized that President Xi is "very smart and tough, but there is not a single democratic aspect. This is not a criticism, just the reality."

He added that he has consistently told President Xi that the U.S. and China do not need to clash, but "there will be extreme competition."

He further explained, "I will not do it the way he knows," and "not the way (former President) Donald Trump did," adding, "We will focus on the means of international rules."

Since taking office, President Biden has spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin but has not spoken with President Xi. This statement is interpreted as his willingness to talk with President Xi but leaving the ball in China's court.

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