US President Joe Biden gave an address to the nation on Thursday, in his first comments since Donald Trump's election win over presidential rival and Biden's Vice President Kamala Harris.

"On January 20, we will have a peaceful transfer of power," Biden said in the Rose Garden of the White House. "We have 74 days to go. Let's make every day count. Setbacks are unavoidable. But giving up is unforgivable."

"In a democracy, the will of the people always prevails," Biden added in reference to Trump's resounding win at the ballot box.

Biden urges Americans to 'bring down' the temperature

The outgoing president also called on citizens to "bring down" the temperature after a fiercely fought race between Democrats and Republicans.

"You can't love your country only when you win. You can't love your neighbor only when you agree. Something to hope we can do, no matter who you voted for, is see each other not as adversaries, but as fellow Americans."

"I also hope we can lay to rest a question about the integrity of the American electoral system. It is honest, it is fair and it is transparent. It can be trusted, win or lose."

The 81-year-old dropped out of the presidential race in July and handed the Democratic nomination to Vice President Harris.

Biden is however apparently determined to draw a stark contrast with the billionaire, whose refusal to accept his own 2020 election defeat culminated in the attack by Trump's supporters on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Biden invites Trump to the White House

The White House said Biden spoke with Trump on Wednesday, inviting his successor to meet at the White House.

Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said the Republican "looks forward to the meeting, which will take place shortly."

It will be the first time they have met since Biden's debate with Trump in June that prompted his decision to step aside.

World leaders have vowed to work with Trump, despite concerns over the president-elect's "America First" approach and pledges to slap huge tariffs on foreign imports.

Chinese President Xi Jinping said the two global superpowers must find a way to "get along" in a message to Trump, calling for "stable" relations.

jsi/rmt (AP, AFP, Reuters)