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Why Xi Has Not Congratulated Biden

Saibal Dasgupta

   China has not publicly acknowledged the results of the U.S.
   presidential election or sent a congratulatory message to
   President--elect Joe Biden.

   This is a bit of a surprise for those who felt Chinese President Xi
   Jinping, who faced stiff opposition from U.S. President Donald Trump,
   would be relieved at the election results.

   Analysts are wondering if Beijing is hedging its bets about the outcome
   until after the lawsuits filed by the Trump administration are
   resolved, signaling the launch of a new strategy in dealing with the
   United States.

   Beijing is also said to have been stung by a recent statement by
   Biden's campaign office declaring Chinese action against Muslims in the
   Xinjiang region as "genocide."

   "I think the most plausible reason is that Trump has not yet conceded,
   and China does not want to irk him at this 'sensitive' time," said
   Douglas B. Fuller, associate professor at the City University of Hong
   Kong.

   China is listening

   China has reliable "ears" for listening to diverse political voices in
   the United States and U.S.-trained scholars to analyze them, sources
   said.

   "The Chinese leadership also believes that it has the upper hand in the
   bilateral relationship and need not exhibit too much enthusiasm in
   welcoming the Biden-Harris team until they make some friendly gesture
   or announce rollback of some of the harsh anti-China measures taken by
   the Trump administration," said Mohan Malik, visiting fellow at the
   Washington-based Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies.

   Democrats are known by Chinese leaders to have strong views on human
   rights issues and even act on them, and analysts say that is something
   Beijing may have to contend with in the coming years.

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