Joe Biden stresses foreign policy legacy, including China relations, in final UN speech

‘We seek to responsibly manage the competition with China so it does not veer into conflict,’ US president says in his valedictory address.

Reading Time:4 minutes

US President Joe Biden addresses the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 5:00pm, 24 Sep 2024Updated: 3:40am, 25 Sep 2024

US President Joe Biden focused on his foreign policy record during his final speech to the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, including the importance of UN reform, international coalitions and the need to avoid a clash with and otherwise manage relations with China.

Biden used his address to underscore themes emphasised throughout his administration, which has seen tensions with China mount and closer ties evolve between Beijing and Moscow after Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

“We seek to responsibly manage the competition with China so it does not veer into conflict. We stand ready to cooperate on urgent challenges for the good of our people and the people everywhere,” he told the packed assembly.

But the United States remains “unabashed” in pushing back against unfair economic competition, military coercion of other nations in the South China Sea and protecting the most advanced US technologies, he added.

“These partnerships are not against any nation. There are building blocks for a free, open, secure and peaceful Indo-Pacific.”

Biden also noted, however, that the US had recently resumed cooperation with Beijing to stop the flow of deadly synthetic narcotics.