China congratulated US President-elect Joe Biden on Friday, almost a week after election results were announced.
“We have been following the reaction on this U.S. presidential election from both within the United States and from the international community. We respect the American people’s choice and extend congratulations to Mr. Biden and Ms. Harris.” Beijing’s foreign ministry spokesman, Wang Wenbin, announced in a briefing on Friday.
Chinese President, Xi Jinping, held off sending out a congratulatory message to the new American president, when almost all other leaders had already sent him their best wishes.
Previously, Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, had reluctantly said that China “had noticed that Biden has declared victory,” in response to the media’s questions about China’s silence.
US under Trump’s administration put sanctions on Chinese officials over human rights issues in Xinjiang and Hong Kong while also increasing engagement with Taiwan relating to arms sales.
On China’s alleged association with the pandemic, Biden had said that it was important for the United States to get “tough with China”, adding that in order to “confront China’s abusive behaviors and human rights violations” America would need to “build a united front of US allies and partners.”
