President Biden addressed trade and human rights violations in his first phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping, setting the tone of their relationship following former President Donald Trump’s administration.
Biden tweeted that Wednesday’s call was to wish Xi a happy Lunar New Year, but a White House readout provided more details regarding their conversation.
“President Biden underscored his fundamental concerns about Beijing’s coercive and unfair economic practices, crackdown in Hong Kong, human rights abuses in Xinjiang, and increasingly assertive actions in the region, including toward Taiwan,” officials said.
The pair went on to speak about the coronavirus pandemic after the first COVID-19 cases were reported in China in 2019. They also discussed climate change and nuclear proliferation.
“I told him I will work with China when it benefits the American people,” Biden tweeted.
I spoke today with President Xi to offer good wishes to the Chinese people for Lunar New Year. I also shared concerns about Beijing’s economic practices, human rights abuses, and coercion of Taiwan. I told him I will work with China when it benefits the American people.
— President Biden (@POTUS) February 11, 2021
The Biden-Xi call was placed three weeks into Biden’s new administration, well after his conversation with another adversary: Russian President Vladimir Putin. That call was timed to coincide with the five-year extension of the New START Treaty, which curtails Russia’s arsenal of intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and heavy bombers.
The Biden-Xi call dovetails with Biden’s Wednesday rollout of a Pentagon-led review into the country’s China strategy, focusing in particular on the military and national security threat posed.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki fielded questions over the delay in scheduling time for Biden and Xi to talk as the president realigns the country’s foreign policy after Trump’s “America First” agenda.
“Part of our strategy is certainly engaging with partners in the region and allies, and doing those calls and engagements first, and also having consultations with Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill,” she said last week.
During his pre-Super Bowl interview last week, Biden said they “hadn’t had occasion to talk to one another yet.”
“There’s no reason not to call him,” he added.
Biden was criticized for being “soft” on China during the campaign, refusing to refer to the country as an “opponent,” and overall downplaying risks posed by its communist regime. Trump’s aggressive approach to trade negotiations, slapping 25% tariffs on $250 billion worth of Chinese imports into the United States, was scrutinized as well.
