Biden makes his way to his vehicle in the snow, after attending Mass at Saint Joseph on the Brandywine Church in Wilmington, Delaware. — AFP photo
WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden anticipates the US rivalry with China will take the form of “extreme competition” rather than conflict between the two world powers.
Biden said in an excerpt of a CBS interview aired Sunday that he has not spoken with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping since he became US president.
“He’s very tough. He doesn’t have – and I don’t mean it as a criticism, just the reality – he doesn’t have a democratic, small D, bone in his body,” Biden said.
“I’ve said to him all along, that we need not have a conflict. But there’s going to be extreme competition,” Biden said.
“I’m not going to do it the way (Donald) Trump did. We’re going to focus on international rules of the road.”
China is considered in Washington as the United States’ number one strategic adversary, and the primary challenge on the world stage.
Trump had chosen open confrontation and verbal attacks, without serious tangible results for the enormous US trade deficit with China.
Meanwhile, Biden also made clear he will not unilaterally lift sanctions against Iran, saying it must first adhere to its nuclear deal commitments despite demands on Sunday from the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader.
The exchange underscored the thorny diplomatic challenge ahead as Biden seeks to revive – without showing weakness – a key accord rejected by his predecessor Donald Trump.
Asked in the CBS interview whether he would halt sanctions to convince Iran to return to the bargaining table, Biden offered a clear reply: “No.”
The journalist then asked if the Iranians would first have to stop enriching uranium, which drew an affirmative nod from Biden.
The landmark deal was reached in 2015 by the United States and other powers (China, Russia, Germany, France and Britain) following long negotiations with Iran aimed at preventing it from developing nuclear weapons. — AFP