US President Joe Biden expressed optimism about the potential improvement of relations between the United States and China, stating that a thaw in their ties could occur “very shortly.”
This comes after an incident earlier this year where the United States shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon, which led to a diplomatic dispute between the two countries. Biden noted that the relationship between Washington and Beijing had worsened in the months following his discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in Bali.A planned visit to Beijing by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, which aimed to enhance relations, was canceled due to the balloon incident. During a press conference after the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, Biden was asked about the delayed implementation of a hotline between the United States and China.
“You’re right, we should have an open hotline. At the Bali conference, that’s what President Xi and I agreed we were going to do and meet on,” he said.
“And then, this silly balloon that was carrying two freight cars worth of spying equipment was flying over the United States,” Biden added.
“It got shot down and everything changed in terms of talking to one another. I think you’re going to see that begin to thaw very shortly.”
In addition to the incident involving the spy balloon, the administration of President Joe Biden has further strained relations with China by imposing trade restrictions on advanced microchips due to concerns about potential military applications. Biden defended these measures on Sunday, following a statement by the Group of Seven (G7) nations that expressed concerns about China’s “militarization activities” in the surrounding region.
“It is building its military, and that’s why I’ve made it clear that I am not prepared to trade certain items with China,We’ve now got commitment from all of our allies that they’re not going to do that either, provide that kind of material”, he said.