China Congratulates Biden on Inauguration... Official Response

Biden Emphasizes 'Harmony,' Exactly Aligning with What US-China Relations Demand
Biden: Domestic Issues May Be More Urgent Than US-China Relations

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] China officially responded by congratulating Joe Biden on his inauguration as the new President of the United States, stating that a new day in American history has begun. On the 22nd, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that China and the United States have gone through difficult times, and expressed hope for President Biden's success. It also expressed hope for the improvement of China-US relations, saying that the people of both countries deserve a better future.

Hua Chunying, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a press briefing held the previous day, "President Biden repeatedly used the word 'harmony' during his inauguration speech," adding that this exactly matches what the current China-US relationship requires.

She continued, "Over the past four years, hatred and division have caused great suffering to the people of China and the United States," emphasizing, "Not only China and the United States but also the international community expects China-US relations to return to the right path."

Spokesperson Hua also added that both China and the United States must have the courage to listen to each other, respect each other, and engage in dialogue and cooperation, stating that this is both the responsibility of China and the United States and the expectation of the international community.

Choi Tienkai, Chinese Ambassador to the United States, also posted a congratulatory message on Twitter on the same day, expressing willingness to cooperate with the Biden administration. Ambassador Choi said, "China hopes to cooperate with the new US administration and achieve sound and steady development of China-US relations," and "expects both countries to jointly respond to infectious diseases, climate change, and other environmental issues."

Meanwhile, Chinese media predicted that President Biden will need a lot of time and effort to heal the chaos and wounds in American society.

The Chinese state-run Global Times editorial explained that President Biden emphasized infectious diseases, inequality, racial discrimination, climate change, and America's role in his inaugural address, but did not mention China even once. This indicates that internal issues in the United States are significant and take priority. Above all, it expressed concern that the social divisions experienced during the presidential election process could reoccur in the midterm elections two years later.