Why has China not congratulated President-elect Biden yet? Beijing says 'will follow international practice'
A spokesman for the Chinese government's Foreign Ministry said on November 9 that it would act in "accordance with international practice" upon being asked when China would congratulate apparent United States President-elect Joe Biden on his election victory.
China remains one of the few major countries yet to congratulate Biden and his camp for defeating President Donald J Trump -- more than 24 hours after several media outlets declared the former veep victorious. According to CNN, many are speculating whether Chinese officials are waiting for Trump to officially concede defeat. "China's position on the relevant issues has been consistent and clear. Our resolve to protect the country's sovereignty, security and development benefits will not waver. We have always advocated that China and the US should control existing differences on the basis of mutual respect and mutual non-interference in internal affairs, and promote the healthy and stable development of China-US relations. We hope the new US government can meet China halfway, foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told the press in a briefing.
It's with noting that Beijing may want to avoid anything that could potentially further deteriorate US-China relations, especially since there's still two months till Biden is officially sworn in as president. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a press briefing in Beijing Monday that China had "noted" Biden's declaration of victory. "We understand that the outcome of the general election will be determined in accordance with the laws and procedures of the United States," Wang said in response to CNN's questions. "We will handle the issue of the statement (of congratulations) in accordance with international practice."
The outlet noted that Wang didn't elaborate on what "international practice" might involve, considering the large number of nations that have already congratulated the Delaware Democrat, including Australia, India, Germany, Israel, France and the UK.
The apparent reluctance to wish Biden comes as Chinese state-run media "exhibited a cautious optimism that a Biden presidency might help reset US-China relations," which went downhill during Trump's tenure, per the outlet.
State-run newspaper the China Daily wrote in an editorial published Sunday, November 8, that relations could be "reset for the better," especially on trade, especially after the disastrous two-year-long trade war between the nations spurred by Trump's heavy sanctions on China. "By adhering to this approach and strengthening the ballast of their trade ties, the two countries can regain the generally positive momentum that has characterized their relations over the past four decades," the editorial said.
Meanwhile, another editorial in the state-run tabloid the Global Times, titled "Drop illusions over China-US relations, but don't give up efforts," recommends that Beijing "communicate with the Biden team as thoroughly as it can, making greater joint efforts to recover China-US relations to a state of great predictability."
Nonetheless, the editorial concluded that China could only rely on itself. "China must become a country the US cannot suppress or destabilize, and make it that cooperation with China is the best option for the US to realize its national interests," it said, according to CNN.
Trump emphasized taking on China as an important part of his agenda in the last weeks of the campaign, on the trail, as well as in debates. He has repeatedly blamed Beijing for the Covid-19 pandemic, or the "China virus" as he refers to it.
Mike Pompeo, Trump's favorite Secretary of State, has been orchestrating an anti-Beijing alliance on China's periphery, including with several Asian heavyweights like Japan and India. "America is rising to the China challenge," Pompeo declared last month, adding the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) regime is "the greatest threat to freedom and democracy today."