Biden at UN urges Russia accountability over Ukraine and slams China as he extols democracy
- Vowing to work with allies and partners, US leader depicts policies from Moscow and Beijing as running counter to constructive ‘vision for our world’
- While Russia bears brunt of US criticism, China’s handling of Xinjiang and climate change among challenges identified for UN to help tackle
“The United States and I, as president, champion a vision for our world that is grounded in the values of democracy,” Biden said in his 30-minute address.
“The United States is determined to defend and strengthen democracy at home and around the world because I believe democracy remains humanity’s greatest instrument to address the challenges of our time.”
Biden struck a bullish and confident tone similar to his UN address last year, when he sought to depict the US as a global torch-bearer in a struggle against authoritarianism.
“The United States is … working closely with our allies and partners to impose costs on Russia to deter attacks against Nato territory, to hold Russia accountable for the atrocities and war crimes because if nations can pursue their imperial ambitions without consequences, then we put at risk everything this very institution stands for,” he said.
He announced US$2.9 billion in new funding for humanitarian and food security assistance, some of which was intended to alleviate “a dire humanitarian emergency” in the Horn of Africa owing to a multi-year drought.
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“The United States will work with every nation, including our competitors, to solve global problems like climate change,” he said. “Climate diplomacy is not a favour to the United States or any other nation, and walking away hurts the entire world.”
“We all know we’re already living in a climate crisis. No one seems to doubt it after this past year,” he said. “Families are facing impossible choices, choosing which child to feed, wondering whether they’ll survive. This is the human cost of climate change, and it’s growing.”
To date, more than 1,500 people have died from Pakistan’s unprecedented floods. Over 30 million people have been affected by one of the country’s worst monsoons since its founding in 1947.
Biden’s candid references to competition between the US and China revealed that his stance had “hardened” towards the geopolitical rival, according to Richard Gowan, UN director of International Crisis Group, a Belgium-based think tank.
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Beijing would also likely be displeased that Biden “raised Taiwan at all at the UN, as it sees it as an internal matter”, Gowan added.
“This change of emphasis should be received well in Beijing,” said Sher, adding that Biden reiterated assurances made during last year’s UN speech that “the US does not seek conflict or a cold war with China”.