China yet to congratulate Joe Biden

Gulf Today Report

Since Saturday after Joe Biden emerged the winner of the US election, congratulatory messages have been pouring in from leaders around the world, however, China is yet to congratulate the president-elect.

Democrat Biden won the race to the White House on Saturday but President Donald Trump is yet to concede and has gone ahead to file a lawsuit challenging the election outcome.

 In a briefing to a daily media, the foreign ministry spokesman said "we noticed that Mr Biden has declared election victory. We understand that the US presidential election result will be determined following US law and procedures."

 When Donald Trump was declared the election winner in 2016, President Xi Jinping sent congratulations message on Nov. 9, a day after the election.

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However, relations between China and the United States have taken for the worse since then.

While Biden is expected to maintain a tough stance on China — he has called President Xi Jinping a "thug" and vowed to lead a campaign to "pressure, isolate and punish China" -- he is likely to take a more measured and multilateral approach.

 According to the Global Times, easing the tension between the two countries is in the best interest of the people and the international community.

Wang Huiyao, head of the Center for China and Globalisation and an advisor to the government in Beijing, commented on his expectations from the new administration.

"Biden's election means an opportunity to re-establish relations with the US as he is more likely to uphold multilateralism. That means China and the US can start discussing issues including climate change, pandemic control and trade," Wang said.