After nearly a week of silence, China has finally congratulated Joe Biden, a foreign ministry spokesman in Beijing said on Friday.
The relationship between China and the US the world’s two biggest economies is hugely consequential. A trade war initiated by President Trump has damaged relations, as has his insistence on referring to Covid-19 as the “Chinese virus” or “kung flu”.
The two countries have also sparred over espionage, China’s military build-up in the South China Sea and the mass detention of Muslims in western China.
It’s unclear how much Joe Biden would shift US policy towards China, as there is rare cross-party agreement in Congress on getting tough with Beijing over trade and other issues.
Experts predict a tactical shift, however – they see a Biden White House working more with allies to confront China, while also seeking to co-operate in other areas, like fighting climate change. ENDS
