Joe Biden begins an Asian tour on Thursday which will take him to India to participate in a summit of G20 countries which appears weakened in the absence in particular of Chinese President Xi Jinping, then to Vietnam.
The American president’s trip comes at a key moment in the game of alliances against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine and as China increases its influence and increasingly challenges the American superpower.
Mr. Biden took off from Andrews Air Force Base, near Washington, around 9:30 p.m. GMT. He must stop at the American base in Ramstein, Germany, before reaching New Delhi on Friday.
The American presidency specified that he had undergone a new Covid-19 test on Thursday which turned out to be negative, as in the previous days. First lady Jill Biden contracted the disease on Monday with mild symptoms, raising fears of possible contamination of the 80-year-old president.
According to the First Lady’s services, she also tested negative on Thursday.
In New Delhi, the American president will take center stage at the G20 on Saturday and Sunday, in the absence of Chinese leaders Xi Jinping and Russian Vladimir Putin.
He intends to take advantage of the summit, under the presidency of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to demonstrate that the bloc, despite its divisions, nonetheless remains the main forum for global economic cooperation.
It is also a way of sending a message to Beijing and to the rising rival alliances including that of the Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa).
Last week, Joe Biden declared himself “disappointed” that President Xi, represented in New Delhi by Prime Minister Li Qiang, was skipping the summit.
The US president will discuss “a series of joint efforts to tackle global problems”, including climate change, and “mitigating the economic and social consequences of Russia’s war in Ukraine”, which affects the poorest countries, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said on Tuesday.
“He is determined to ensure that we work with emerging market partners to achieve great things together. That’s what the world will see in Delhi this weekend,” the adviser added.
Joe Biden will also advocate for strengthening the financing capacities of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
On his program as soon as he arrived in New Delhi on Friday, a bilateral meeting with the Indian Prime Minister, whom he had received with great fanfare in June at the White House.
The United States is strengthening its ties with India to stand up to China, with New Delhi seeking to establish a leading international role.
This is despite their differences over Russia — India did not adhere to sanctions against Moscow after the invasion of Ukraine — or respect for human rights.
“If the United States began to emphasize the issue of rights and democracy, it would risk jeopardizing a relationship that is far too important for the United States to lose,” said Asia expert Michael Kugelman. of the South at the Wilson Center in Washington.
Joe Biden is also due to travel to Vietnam on Sunday to meet the leader of the ruling Communist Party in that country, Nguyen Phu Trong, as well as other leaders, again with a view to countering China’s influence. In the region.
Relations between the United States and Vietnam have strengthened in recent years, including in the military and economic fields, as the two countries have largely reconciled despite the scars of war.
This visit by the American president is part of an all-out diplomatic offensive aimed at Asian countries, whether or not they are traditional allies of the United States.
Joe Biden thus recently received the Japanese and South Korean leaders at an unprecedented summit.
07/09/2023 23:41:16 – Washington (AFP) – © 2023 AFP
