Biden: "China Will Never Surpass the US"... Also Hints at Reelection Bid (Comprehensive)

Reiterating Tough Stance on Populism... "Demanding Principles of Fair Competition"
Actively Countering Criticism of Pro-Immigration Policy... "Blame Trump"
"Harris Will Be Running Mate in 2024"... Emphasizing Reelection Intent

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondents Baek Jong-min and Lee Hyun-woo] On the 25th (local time), U.S. President Joe Biden expressed his firm stance on various national issues in a strong tone during his first official press conference since taking office.

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In particular, he made tough remarks comparable to those of former President Donald Trump, stating that China will never surpass the United States. He also strongly rebutted criticisms of his pro-immigration policies, attributing them to the incompetence of the Trump administration. He reaffirmed his intention to run for re-election in 2024, saying his term will not end after a single term.

This is interpreted as a strategy to dispel perceptions of weakness compared to his predecessor both domestically and internationally, and to exert strong momentum in national governance, including planned infrastructure reconstruction and a second economic stimulus package.

◆"I Will Not Allow China to Surpass the U.S. Before My Eyes"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

On this day, President Biden continued his tough rhetoric toward China. He said, "I see the competition with China as extremely intense," and "China aims to become the world’s leading country, the wealthiest and most powerful nation, but such a thing will never happen as long as I am watching."

He especially emphasized global democratic principles, explaining that he views the world as a battleground between democracy and dictatorship. He criticized, "The world is currently divided between dictatorships like China and Russia and democracies like ours," and "China’s leader believes dictatorship, not democracy, is the key to the future."

Regarding the withdrawal of U.S. troops stationed in Afghanistan, he said, "It seems difficult to complete the withdrawal by the original deadline of May 1," but suggested a compromise by adding, "However, I find it hard to imagine U.S. troops remaining there until next year."

The Biden administration has been deliberating extensively on the Afghanistan withdrawal issue. Previously, the Trump administration signed a peace agreement with the Taliban last year, promising to withdraw U.S. and international coalition forces by May 1, but faced opposition from NATO and ongoing international controversy. According to the U.S. political media outlet Politico, the U.S. State Department recently proposed a compromise plan to extend the U.S. troop presence in Afghanistan by six months. On the 23rd, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, attending the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting, reportedly discussed this compromise with European allies.

◆"Immigrant Surge Is Trump’s Fault"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

The most frequently asked questions to President Biden on this day concerned the surge of illegal immigrants at the Mexico border. Over 100,000 illegal immigrants flooded in last month alone, a more than 28% increase compared to the previous month across Central and South America, with major detention facilities operating at over 300% capacity.

President Biden emphasized that the surge in illegal immigrants is not due to the new administration’s pro-immigration policies but rather the irresponsible neglect of border control by the previous Trump administration.

Biden said, "The number of immigrants at the southern border has significantly increased every year from January to March. This is because the survival rate is highest while moving to avoid the desert heat," highlighting seasonal factors. Regarding the shortage of detention facilities, he added, "We are restoring and expanding immigrant detention facilities that the Trump administration neglected," and stressed, "We will not leave children who came to the border without guardians to starve."

▲"2024 Re-election Bid, No Lame Duck"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

President Biden declared his intention to run for re-election, saying, "My running mate in 2024 will be Vice President Kamala Harris." This is the first time Biden has publicly expressed his re-election intention.

The Wall Street Journal reported, "Among aides, there was advice to signal the possibility of re-election to demonstrate stable leadership regardless of actual candidacy." Until now, there had been speculation that Biden, elected as the oldest president in U.S. history at age 78, might not run in the next presidential election.

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