Joe Biden defends Chinese balloon handling, vows to ‘remain in communication’ with Xi Jinping
- US president stresses responsible management of ‘competition’ with China to avoid ‘conflict’ in most detailed remarks yet on saga
- Addressing criticism over timing of balloon’s downing, Biden points to ensuring safety of commercial flights and people on ground
In his first address devoted exclusively to the balloon saga, Biden said he expected to speak with the Chinese leader again, citing the importance of keeping US-China channels open to avoid veering “into conflict”. He did not specify when the two presidents planned to speak next.
Biden said he waited to shoot down the balloon on February 4 – a week after it was detected in American airspace – to avoid jeopardising commercial flights or people on the ground. He said its flight path ensured that it did not threaten national security.
“We will compete and will responsibly manage that competition so that doesn’t veer into conflict. This episode underscores the importance of maintaining open lines of communication between our diplomats and our military professionals.”