Competition with China must be 'responsibly managed': Biden at UNGA
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The remarks came after Biden called on the UNGA to put a stop to Russia's "naked aggression" in Ukraine -- claiming that unless it is not stopped, the independence of other states would be at stake.
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US President Joe Biden addresses the 78th UN General Assembly summit in New York on September 19, 2023. (AP)
In his address to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, President Joe Biden emphasized the US intention to handle its competition with China in a responsible manner, with the aim of preventing any potential conflicts.
"When it comes to China, I want to be clear and consistent. We seek to responsibly manage the competition between our countries so it does not tip into conflict," Biden said in a speech.
The remarks came after Biden called on the Assembly to put a stop to Russia's "naked aggression" in Ukraine -- claiming that unless it is not stopped, the independence of other states would be at stake.
"We must stand up to this naked aggression today to deter other would-be aggressors tomorrow," Biden was to say according to excerpts of his speech released by the White House.
Biden at the UNGA said that the railway connection line agreed upon in the G20 summit shows how "Israel" can benefit from normalizing ties with the neighboring countries.
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This comes a day after the Chinese Foreign Ministry summoned the German ambassador in response to remarks made by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, in which she referred to Chinese President Xi Jinping as a "dictator."
In her recent interview with the Fox News TV channel, Baerbock stated that a potential Russian success in the Ukraine conflict could serve as a signal for "other dictators in the world, like Xi."
Subsequently, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning characterized these remarks as "absolutely absurd" and deemed them an "open political provocation."
"The German ambassador to Beijing, Patricia Flor, was summoned to the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Sunday," the representative was quoted as saying by Spiegel.
Last Sunday, US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark Milley, said in an interview with CNN that the US "should make every effort to prevent open armed conflict with China."
He also pointed out that the US had already been involved in two major "great power wars," specifically referring to World War I and World War II.
Discussing a scenario of a Chinese 'invasion' of Taiwan, Milley mentioned that it was entirely feasible for the US to repel such an attack. He further noted that the United States seeks a peaceful resolution in the relationship between Beijing and Taipei.
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Earlier today, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a meeting with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on the sidelines of the UNGA meeting.
According to the State Department, talks involved "a candid and constructive discussion" regarding the war in Ukraine, the DPRK, and the Taiwan Strait, among other topics. The two officials also agreed to maintain open communication to manage the relations between the two countries.
"China-US relations face a lot of difficulties and challenges," Han told Blinken. "It needs us both to display more sincerity, more effort and meet each other halfway."
"The world needs stable and healthy China-U.S. relations," Han added.
