Joe Biden reaches out to allies in the Asia-Pacific
November 12, 2020
In phone calls with the leaders of South Korea, Japan and Australia, Biden has discussed the challenges key allies face. But the main power in region, China, continues to refrain from congratulating the president-elect.
Image: Carolyn Kaster/AP Photo/picture alliance
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US President-elect Joe Biden reaffirmed his country’s commitment to key US allies in the Asia-Pacific on Thursday.
In separate calls with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, Japan’s Yoshihide Suga and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Biden discussed the importance of bilateral relations in tackling key global challenges like the coronavirus pandemic and climate change.
Biden and Moon reaffirmed their "firm commitment to a robust ROK-US alliance and peaceful and prosperous Korean Peninsula."
During his conversation with Japanese Prime Minister Suga, Biden highlighted the need to work together in order to achieve "a free and open Indo-Pacific," possibly an indication that the Biden administration will move to control China's growing military and economic overtures in the region.
Australia's Scott Morrison took to Twitter to say, "There are no greater friends and no greater allies than Australia and the US."
India’s overtures
Despite his close relationship with President Donald Trump, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi became one of the first international leaders to congratulate Biden on his victory on Sunday, hours after it became clear that the Democratic candidate had the electoral college seats to win the presidential election.
"Congratulations @JoeBiden on your spectacular victory! As the VP, your contribution to strengthening Indo-US relations was critical and invaluable. I look forward to working closely together once again to take India-US relations to greater heights," Modi said on Twitter.
He also congratulated Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, highlighting her Indian roots. Harris, the first female vice president-elect of the US, is of Indian and Jamaican descent.
China’s reluctance
Even as US allies in Asia reached out to the president-elect, China has said it would withhold comment on the US election results until all legalities have been formalized.
"We noticed that Mr. Biden has declared election victory," China's foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a media briefing. "We understand that the US presidential election result will be determined following US law and procedures."
China joins a short list of nations, including Russia, Brazil and Mexico, that have been a bit more cautious by holding off their congratulations for the moment.
US election: World leaders who have not congratulated Joe Biden
Some of the US’s biggest and closest allies in Europe, Asia and the Middle East were quick to congratulate US President-elect Joe Biden. But there have been one or two notable exceptions who remain a bit more cautious.
Image: Alexei Druzhinin/dpa/picture-alliance
Russian President Vladimir Putin
Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the Kremlin will refrain from commenting on Biden's victory until legal challenges to the election are resolved and the result is official. "Certain legal procedures are coming there, which were announced by the incumbent president, therefore this situation is different, so we consider it correct to wait for the official announcement."
Image: Alexei Druzhinin/dpa/picture-alliance
China acknowledges win after week delay
On November 13, China congratulated Joe Biden on his victory nearly a week after he was declared the winner of the US presidential election. "We respect the choice of the American people," China's foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said. He added: "At the same time, the result will be confirmed according to US laws and procedures."
Image: Ju Peng/Xinhua/picture-alliance
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro
The right-wing president had said he would be the first leader in the world to congratulate Donald Trump. But Bolsonaro has remained silent on Biden. "I think the president is waiting for this imbroglio over fraudulent votes to be resolved," Vice President Hamilton Mourao told reporters. Bolsonaro will congratulate Biden "at the right time" and see what happens with Trump's lawsuits.
Image: Marcos Corrêa/Presidência da República do Brasil
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador
Lopez Obrador has said he was bound by the constitution from offering his congratulations to the winner until the legal disputes were sorted out, reiterating an earlier posture. "How can a president of Mexico become a judge and say: 'This
candidate won'?" Lopez Obrador told a news conference. He briefly referred to Biden as the "possible president-elect", before emphasizing Mexico took no side.
Image: Reuters/H. Romero
North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un
There has been no response to Biden's results from Kim. North Korean state media has been silent on the US elections as of Monday. But Pyongyang made no mention of Donald Trump's 2016 victory either until two days after his election. In the past, Kim has called Biden "a fool of low IQ." Biden, meanwhile, has described Kim as a "thug."
Image: Reuters/KCNA
Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa
The far-right anti-immigration Slovenian Democratic Party leader, who prematurely hailed Trump as the winner of the election long before the vote counts were near completion, is yet to congratulate Biden. Jansa has repeated allegations of voter fraud carried out by Democrats. He has tweeted, however, that Slovenia hoped for "friendly relations" with Washington.
