China will not be the world’s most powerful on my watch

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– China’s overall goal is to become the world’s leading country, the most prosperous and the most powerful country in the world. It’s not going to happen on my watch, Biden said.

– The competition with China is fierce, he admitted, but emphasized at the same time that the United States does not seek confrontation with the world’s most populous country.

During Thursday’s press conference, Biden reproduced some of what he said to Xi Jinping when the Chinese president called to congratulate him on his election victory earlier this year.

“As long as you and your country continue to violate human rights so openly, we will relentlessly tell the world what’s going on,” Biden said.

Re-election

When asked if he plans to run for re-election in 2024, Biden answered in the affirmative.

– The plan is to run for re-election. I expect that to happen, he said, but stressed that a lot can happen by then.

– I said I expect it. I have great respect for fate. I have never managed to plan four and a half, three and a half years ahead, it should be safe and certain, he added.

At 78 years old, Biden is the oldest president to have taken over the White House, and he will be 82 years old when he eventually takes on the next four-year term.

Asked if he believes in a rematch against Donald Trump in 2024, Biden said.

– Oh, I do not even think about it. I have no idea.

Coronal oil

The corona pandemic, which has so far claimed the lives of nearly 560,000 Americans, was a key topic at Biden’s press conference.

Since December, 130 million vaccine doses have been administered in the United States, and 46 million Americans have received two doses and are fully vaccinated. This corresponds to 14 percent of the population.

Biden’s original target of 100 million vaccine doses set during his first 100 days as president was reached after 58 days. On Thursday, he doubled his goal to 200 million doses by 31 April.

Millions of Americans have lost their jobs and incomes during the pandemic, and many are also at risk of losing their homes and health insurance. Biden assured on Thursday that the aid is on its way and that over 100 million Americans recently received 1,400 dollars each – around 12,000 kroner – into the account.

– This is real money in people’s pockets, and millions of others will get their money soon, he promised.

Immigration

Biden was also asked about the flow of migrants who have recently arrived in the United States from Latin America, many of them unaccompanied minors.

– Truth be told, nothing has changed, he claimed and pointed out that the number of minors who showed up at the border increased by 28 percent from January to February.

According to Biden, the increase was 31 percent in the same period under President Donald Trump in 2019.

– It happens every single year. There is a significant increase in the number of people coming to the border in the winter months of January, February and March, he said.

The news agency AP has fact-checked the claim and found that Biden’s claim was incorrect as the number of unaccompanied minors who arrived at the border increased by 61 percent from January to February this year.

Most importantly

Biden was also asked how he intends to deal with the climate crisis and US liberal gun laws.

– I was chosen to solve problems, not to create division, he said.

– The most important problem when I took office was the corona pandemic and the consequences it has had for millions of Americans. This is what I have so far had all my focus on, Biden continued

“We will tackle these crises, one by one, and try to deal with as many of them as we can,” he said, but added that it is the Republicans in Congress who have the key.

Afghanistan and North Korea

Biden further questioned whether the United States will abide by the agreement with the Taliban, and withdraw its last 2,500 troops from Afghanistan by May 1.

– It can be difficult to meet that deadline, he said, but assured that the soldiers will be brought home.

– We will not stay there long, he said.

At the same time, Biden emphasized that it is North Korea’s nuclear weapons program that is at the top of his foreign policy agenda at the moment.

– I am to a certain extent inclined to diplomacy, but the precondition must be that it ends with the winding up of the country’s nuclear weapons program, he said.

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