Biden says election results say US ‘is ready to play’ after meeting with Chinese President Xi

US President Joe Biden on Monday said the Democratic Party’s strong showing in last week’s midterm elections is proof that the US is “ready to play” on the international stage rather than retreat from multilateral commitments under a GOP congress.

“The Democrats are of the view that we're going to stay fully engaged in the world and that we in fact, know what we're about,” said Mr Biden, who spoke to reporters following a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia.

In opening remarks, Mr Biden recalled how he told allies that the US was “back” after four years of Donald Trump while on his first trip abroad in the spring of 2021.

“In the year and a half that’s followed, we’re showing exactly what that means,” he said. “America is keeping its commitments, America is investing in our strength at home, America is working alongside our allies and partners to deliver real, meaningful progress around the world”.

Mr Biden added that the no nation —apart from the US — is now “better-positioned to help build the future we want”.

The president’s remarks came following a more than two-hour meeting between him and Mr Xi, the first face-to-face session the two leaders have held since Mr Biden took office in January 2021.

According to the White House, Mr Biden and Mr Xi “spoke candidly about their respective priorities and intentions across a range of issues,” and Mr Biden told his Chinese counterpart that the US would “continue to compete vigorously with the PRC, including by investing in sources of strength at home and aligning efforts with allies and partners around the world”.

“He reiterated that this competition should not veer into conflict and underscored that the United States and China must manage the competition responsibly and maintain open lines of communication,” the White House said.