On Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated Joe Biden on winning the US presidential election. It is one of the last major international hold outs acknowledged the results of the vote. The President of China had been waiting for a sign from Washington before he sends his best wishes, treading a diplomatic tightrope between appeasing Donald Trump and getting off to a smooth start with Biden. So, Mexico and Russia are now the only major world powers yet to congratulate Biden. Point to be noted that Russian leader Vladimir Putin was among the first to congratulate Trump on his election victory, four years ago. The Chinese leader expressed hope that both countries could promote the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations.
Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan also congratulated Biden’s running mate Kamala Harris, on being elected the next US vice president. The spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry issued a statement on 13th November wishing Biden well. He said, “We respect the choice of the American people. We extend congratulations to Biden and Harris”. On Monday, the decision by the General Services Administration head, Emily Murphy, to unlock $9 million in transition funds and allow Biden’s team access to government officials appears to have influenced Beijing’s decision. It is noteworthy that President Trump is rapidly running out of legal avenues to pursue.
The White House reporters said that even the president himself has come to the conclusion that it is futile to fight on. He has shown no sign of conceding, however. On Wednesday he is intending to hold a press conference in Gettysburg with his lawyer, Rudy Giuliani. Trump’s lawyer is spearheading efforts to overturn the vote. Whether he actually concedes is irrelevant. The electors will meet to cast their votes on 14th December and the person who received the most is Joe Biden. It is important the newly elected US President will be inaugurated on 20th January 2021.