Will act to protect US if China threatens our sovereignty: Joe Biden

TIL Desk/World/Washington/ Amidst growing tension with China over a suspected surveillance balloon, US President Joe Biden has said that the United States will act to protect if Beijing threatens its sovereignty.

 “I am committed to work with China where it can advance American interests and benefit the world. But make no mistake: as we made clear last week, if China threatens our sovereignty, we will act to protect our country. And we did,” Biden said in his State of the Union Address on Tuesday night.

The US military downed the suspected Chinese spy balloon over the Atlantic Ocean last week, drawing a strong reaction from China which on Sunday warned of repercussions over America’s use of force against its civilian unmanned airship. The US has accused China of violating American sovereignty and international law.

“Let’s be clear: winning the competition with China should unite all of us. We face serious challenges across the world. But in the past two years, democracies have become stronger, not weaker,” he said in his second State of the Union Address before a joint session of the US Congress.