[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] U.S. President Joe Biden sent a strong warning to China during his joint address to Congress on the 28th (local time), one day before his 100th day in office, expressing his determination to maintain America's technological supremacy.
In his speech, President Biden stated that all countries in the global economy, including China, must follow the same rules. He said, "I will compete with President Xi Jinping through communication, but I will not engage in conflict," making it clear that he will defend American interests.
President Biden emphasized, "We will confront unfair trade practices that weaken American workers and industries, such as subsidies to state-owned enterprises and the theft of American technology and intellectual property." He also mentioned that he told President Xi that the U.S. will maintain strong military power in the Indo-Pacific region, not to provoke conflict but to prevent it.
President Biden stressed, "China and other countries are rapidly catching up," adding, "We must actively pursue the development of future technologies such as batteries, semiconductors, biotechnology, and renewable energy." He also said, "There is no law that says wind turbines made in Beijing cannot be made in Pittsburgh."
He also addressed the human rights issues in China, which he has emphasized since taking office. President Biden mentioned, "I told President Xi that the United States will not back down from its commitment to human rights and fundamental freedoms."
The Hill, a congressional media outlet, evaluated that President Biden linked the need for large-scale infrastructure investment with blocking China's ambitious challenges.
President Biden's tough remarks on China were also anticipated beforehand. CNN reported that prior to his congressional speech, President Biden told some reporters, "Chinese President Xi Jinping is betting that democracy cannot catch up with China."
President Biden said, "The world is changing too rapidly in all fields, including science and technology. The question is whether democracy can reach consensus within a timeframe that allows it to compete with autocracy."
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