President Joe Biden promised world leaders during his United Nations General Assembly speech on Monday that he doesn’t want to contain China or other countries.
The the United Nations General Assembly is holding its 78th annual session in New York City this week, where leaders of at least 145 countries will gather, though some prominent leaders from France, China, Russia and the United Kingdom will be absent. Biden said during his speech that he is seeking to “responsibly manage competition” with China and is focused on “de-risking not decoupling” with the country. (RELATED: ‘That Is Crap’: Biden, Xi Had Heated Argument Over Alleged Biolabs In Ukraine, Book Says)
“Now let me be clear, none of these partnerships are about containing any country, they are about a positive vision for our shared future,” Biden said. “When it comes to China I want to be clear and consistent. We seek to responsibly manage competition between our countries so it does not tip into conflict. I’ve said we are for de-risking, not decoupling with China. We will push back on aggression and intimidation and defend the rules of the road from freedom of navigation to overflight to a level economic playing field that have helped safeguard security and prosperity for decades.”
“But we also stand ready to work together with China on issues where progress hinges on our common efforts. Nowhere is that more critical than accelerating the climate crisis, than the accelerating climate crisis,” Biden also committed a minor gaffe, saying at one point that no element of U.S.-China relations is “more critical than accelerating the climate crisis,” before correcting his statement to “than the accelerating climate crisis.”
Tensions between the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) regime and the U.S. have continued to rise over the summer months, causing several Biden officials to visit China. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo took a trip to the country in August to meet with Chinese Minister of Culture and Tourism Hu Heping to discuss how mutual tourism can be revived between the two countries. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Beijing in June, where he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Central Foreign Affairs Office Director Wang Yi and Foreign Minister Qin Gang and unsuccessfully pushed for military-to-military direct communication in crisis situations.
Biden makes it exceptionally clear in his UN speech he has zero interest in containing China because climate change is important @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/BTZMMz820l
— Dylan Housman (@Dylan_Housman) September 19, 2023
Blinken’s most recent visit with Chinese officials came on Monday when he met with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng ahead of the general assembly. Han said during the meeting that the two countries must endure “difficulties and challenges” and show “more sincerity” in order to “meet each other halfway,” the Associated Press reported.