The US Does Not Seek a 'New Cold War' With China, Biden Vows

At the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Tuesday, President Joe Biden defended his country "vigorous competition" with China but assured the United States is not trying to embark on a conflict with the Asian power.

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"We'll stand up for our allies and our friends and oppose attempts by stronger countries to dominate weaker ones, whether through changes to territory by force, economic coercion, technical exploitation or disinformation. But we're not seeking - I'll say it again - we are not seeking a new Cold War or a world divided into rigid blocs," Biden said during a speech in which he argued that U.S. military power should be "the last resort" and should not be used to solve any trouble.

"We've ended 20 years of conflict in Afghanistan and as we close this era of relentless war, we're opening a new era of relentless diplomacy," Biden said, referring to the recent withdrawal of international troops from Afghanistan

Besides stating that the world is beginning a "decisive decade", he argued that the future of the planet will depend on the ability of countries to "recognize their common humanity" and "act together."

Biden did not mention his defense pact with Australia and the United Kingdom, which has led to a diplomatic crisis between the United States and France, a country that lost a lucrative contract to sell submarines to Australians.

However, he promised that when the U.S. acts in the Indo-Pacific region, it will do so in cooperation with its "allies and partners" and through multilateral institutions such as the United Nations, to "amplify the strength and speed" of its measures.

Referring to the climate crisis, Biden called on all countries to put "their greatest possible ambitions" on the table at the COP26 summit in Glasgow. The U.S. President also underscored the need for greater international coordination to contain the pandemic around the world.

"Bombs and bullets cannot defend us against COVID-19. To fight this pandemic, we need a collective act of science and political will," he said.