During a press conference in Vietnam over the weekend, President Joe Biden expressed his desire to have “a relationship with China” — noting that he has no desire to “contain” the communist country that is openly hostile towards the United States and its neighbors.
Biden made the comments during a press conference in Hanoi, Vietnam, following a G-20 summit in India that Chinese President Xi Jinping chose not to attend.
“So, really, what this trip was about — it was less about containing China. I don’t want to contain China,” the president said. “I just want to make sure that we have a relationship with China that is on the up and up, squared away, everybody knows what it’s all about.”
Biden went on to argue that his visit was about getting India to “cooperate much more with the United States, be closer with the United States” and having Vietnam become “closer with the United States.”
The president also insisted that the trip was about creating “a stable base in the Indo-Pacific” and establishing international “rules of the road” on issues regarding the ocean, airspace, and space.
“I want to see China succeed economically, but I want to see them succeed by the rules,” Biden explained.
BIDEN: "I don't wanna contain China" pic.twitter.com/S3ddEsiDgr
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) September 10, 2023
However, critics pointed out that Biden’s soft approach to China will have the opposite effect — as he refuses to show strength, and thus will not deter the communist nation from its goals.
During an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union,” House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) criticized Biden’s failed messaging.
“The whole point of him going to the region, in my view, was to get our friends and allies and partners together in the event of an invasion of Taiwan and a greater invasion into the South Pacific Sea,” the Texas congressman said, adding that the president chose the “wrong message to send” because it was not one of “deterrence.”
Biden was also slammed by Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy for his comments about China, with Doocy sarcastically stating: “After several days of meetings in South Asia, President Biden wants to make sure everybody back home knows he only wants the best for China.”
Peter Doocy has had enough:
"After several days of meetings in South Asia, President Biden wants to make sure everybody back home knows he only wants the best for China." pic.twitter.com/1zzTYrElrI
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) September 10, 2023
