China refrains from congratulating US President-elect Joe Biden

China on Monday refrained from congratulating US President-elect Joe Biden on his victory in the presidential elections, even as leaders around the world rushed to congratulate him on his election victory. Russia, China, Mexico and Brazil are yet to officially wish him.

In first response since Saturday, when Biden was announced winner of the 2020 elections, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said: “We have noticed that Biden announced being successfully elected, and, as we understand, the result of the presidential election will be determined in accordance with the US legislation and established procedures.”

In 2016, Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated Donald Trump soon after the Republican candidate’s win in 2016, South China Morning Post reported. Asked on Monday when Xi would offer his congratulations, Wang Webin Wang did not respond directly, saying only that China would “act according to international customary practice”.

“On China-US relations, we have always advocated that both sides should enhance dialogue, manage differences on the basis of mutual respect, cooperate on the basis of mutual benefits, and to push for the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations,” Wang said.

Chinese foreign policy specialists have said they expect tensions between US and China to continue under the Biden presidency. At times during the election campaign, Biden took a tough line on China, calling Xi a “thug”. His campaign has also signalled that he will call out China on its repressive policies in the far western region of Xinjiang.