Joe Biden “does not seek conflict” with China, he said, according to excerpts aired Wednesday from an interview with PBS, as the United States just destroyed a Chinese balloon that had flown over its territory.
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“No,” the American President replied to the journalist who asked him if relations with Beijing had “taken a hit”.
“We will fully compete with China, but we do not seek conflict,” he assured.
In general, Washington was cautious about raising the tone after it downed a Chinese balloon on Saturday that the Americans said was supposed to be spying on sensitive military sites.
However, before Congress on Tuesday, Joe Biden assured: “If China threatens our sovereignty, we will act to protect our country. »
The relationship between the two superpowers is strained after this affair.
China strongly condemned the destruction of the balloon, which it said was a “civilian aircraft for research purposes, mainly meteorological purposes” that “involuntarily” entered American airspace.
In this context, the head of American diplomacy, Antony Blinken, canceled a planned visit to China at the last minute.
The Pentagon also announced Tuesday that Beijing on Saturday rejected an American proposal for a phone call between Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin and his counterpart Wei Fenghe.