"We will not predict what actions they will take, but we do not wish to sever relations with China," U.S. President Joe Biden reaffirmed on the 10th (local time) that he has no intention of containing China.
During his state visit to Vietnam, President Biden stated at a press conference held in Hanoi that day, "I do not want to contain China; I just want to clarify our relationship with China." He explained, "This visit is also not about containing China," adding, "It is about building a stable foundation in the Indo-Pacific."
On the occasion of this state visit, the United States and Vietnam elevated their bilateral relationship to the highest level, the ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.’ This has led to analyses that this move is part of efforts to check China’s ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region. For the U.S., following Quad, AUKUS, and the South Korea-Japan-U.S. alliance, strengthening influence over the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with Vietnam as a foothold marks a clear emphasis on containing China.
President Biden evaluated that "(the upgraded relationship with Vietnam) will be a great force in the most important Indo-Pacific region in the world." He continued, "The United States is strengthening strategic trilateral partnerships with South Korea and Japan, and is enhancing relations throughout the Indo-Pacific region, including Pacific island nations."
On the day, President Biden said, "Chinese President Xi Jinping is known to be facing difficulties with economic issues, and I hope China succeeds economically," but also added, "I want to see President Xi succeed based on rules," indirectly criticizing China for not adhering to international order norms. He also said, "I hope to meet President Xi soon."
Regarding the possibility of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, he responded, "China is facing economic difficulties, which are connected to problems in China’s policies and international growth," but added, "I do not believe this will lead China to invade Taiwan." Furthermore, he reaffirmed, "We do not want to hurt China, but they are facing substantial economic problems," and "We do not wish to sever relations with China."
President Biden also revealed that he met with Premier Li Peng, who represented China at the G20 summit in India instead of President Xi. He said, "We talked about stability, and it was not confrontational at all." He added, "Not meeting President Xi directly is not a crisis," and "This is not criticism; President Xi currently has no capacity due to major economic issues including unemployment."
He did not respond to questions about the possibility of a meeting between North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin. He expressed deep condolences regarding the earthquake in Morocco. The death toll from the earthquake that struck North Africa’s Morocco is estimated to have exceeded 2,100.
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