In Biden’s 100 days in office speech, Weibo bloggers notice his ‘competition, not conflict,’ ‘Buy American,’ and two women 'attending the court'
Reversing his famous “China is no competition” quote from his campaign days, President Biden these days is all about competition with China. In his April 28 speech to Congress, he said, “America is moving, moving forward. But we can't stop now. We're in competition with China and other countries to win the 21st century.” He also mentioned how he had told Xi Jinping, “…we welcome the competition. We're not looking for conflict.” He seems to have put this competition with China behind all his policy agenda, from infrastructure to jobs, stating that the principle of all investments in his American Jobs Plan as “Buy American.”
Besides “competition” and “Buy American,” Weibo users also noticed the two women, Vice President Harris and House Speaker Pelosi, sitting behind Biden in a historic moment. The visual, however, also conjured up in the Chinese mind an image from China’s Qing Dynasty when two empresses sat behind a screen in the court of state affairs under a young emperor.
Here are some of the posts on Sina Weibo under #Biden 100 days in office speech#.
Huang Zhengyu_Z: On the occasion of his 100 days in office, Biden gave his first speech to Congress. On Sino-U.S. relations, he said, the U.S. would compete with China, and not seek conflicts.
Fang Jie of Tianjin: That is the right thinking. Only healthy competition would enable both sides to make progress together.
No giving up without reaching goal devera: Competition will surely bring conflicts. Biden really knows how to talk.
Soft colorful clouds: Why does a superpower want to compete with a developing country? Isn’t that lowering one’s worth?
Li Wei commentary: Driving force, partner, enemy? In his-100-days-in-office speech to Congress, while praising extensively his own achievements, Biden mentioned China several times. He likened China to a driving force, a partner, and an enemy. Even though he emphasized competition between the U.S. and China, not conflicts, his words revealed the high tension on the part of the United States towards China.
JssCoral: Are you going to die without talking about China? Is China your life-saving medicine that you must take three times a day?
Jia Xu autumn: Biden’s subtext is this: I am not going to confront in your face like Trump, I will play dirty.
Straight news: Liu Feitao: Biden spoke to the joint session of Congress for the first time and talked about competing with China and not seeking conflicts. In fact, Biden went to speak there mainly to promote his jobs plan but mentioned China four times. Three times, he talked about competition with China and one time about cooperation with China on climate. He talked about how the U.S. faced competition with China to win 21st century. His words sound just like what we say that “China and the U.S. are in a competition of the century.” Biden also talked about how blades for wind turbines could be built in Pittsburgh instead of Beijing. What he meant was he wanted industrial competition and supply chain competition with China.
Prodigal son Yan Qing: I just know that Old Man can’t eat or sleep well without talking about China every day.
Black eye d: Sleepy Joe wakes up after 100 days and his mind got a little clearer. Hope he is not going to fall again.
Sweet potato bear six: Biden is copying Trump’s homework, emphasizing buying American!
Star talk plain: U.S. President Biden said during a policy speech on April 28, “…Buy American. American tax dollars are going to be used to buy American products made in America to create American jobs.” It clearly showed his position of trade protectionism. Biden emphasized, “…all the investments in the American Job Plan will be guided by one principle: Buy American.” That is exactly the same as former President Trump’s principle of “Buy American, hire American”. U.S. has not changed its inward position.
Dawn time: Biden is giving his 100-days-in-office speech to Congress, with two females sitting behind and creating a new moment of the American history…
Gray pines green cypresses dry rice: There were two in the back “attending the court behind a screen.”
Phoenix hall of fame: Moment in history! Biden delivering speech to Congress with two females appearing in the same frame, Vice President Harris, House Speaker Pelosi, holding the court, and eye-catching!
HarryShosta: Today, Biden is giving his 100-days-in-office speech to Congress and staging an American version of “two empresses,” Vice President Harris and House Speaker Pelosi, sitting in the back “attending the court behind a screen.” It is not a good thing to have many women.
October light Lai: Biden sees the competition between the U.S and China as that between democracy and autocracy. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Wang Wenbin said, democracy is not a patented product of a particular country, and that holding the banner of democracy while commanding the world and defending those in the same faction while attacking those different is insulting and manipulating values of democracy.
One more dose of dopamine: Not seeking conflicts in the open means choosing to poison you behind the back.
You Sheng Kelvin: Talking about not seeking conflicts while repeatedly spreading rumors about Xinjiang and discrediting Wuhan? If places are switched, would the U.S. just let go if it is being discredited and demonized every day?
X-xM-X: Is China your daddy, you stare at and talk about it every day? If a country is truly capable, would it have to suppress other countries? Get your own affairs in order. Gun violence cases every day, racial discrimination cases every day, economy is sliding. When not so capable yourself, you try to win over other countries to your side. Save some face, please.
I love Shengjing town: American politicians are stirring up troubles every day. I don’t hate you but would hit you. While I hit you, I still want to cooperate with you. Even if I cooperate with you, it won’t affect my hitting you. While hitting you, I still try to find opportunity to have a dialogue with you. While having a dialog with you, I keep hitting you. Don’t American politicians get tired repeating these acts every day?
Eminem·Love·hip-hop·Music: I heard that the U.S. would not survive past next year. It is going to dissolve. It is said that Microsoft, Intel, GM, Apple, Nvidia, AMD, Pepsi, Coca Cola, Starbucks, McDonald’s etc. would all be acquired by China. The U.S. is coming to an end of its life, as all people of China resent America. Why? It is because the U.S. cannot extricate itself from playing hegemony in the world, and we Chinese hate the Yankees most. Besides, the U.S. doesn’t really lead the world in much of anything.
“I don’t hate you but would hit you. While I hit you, I still want to cooperate with you.” Such a clear message the Chinese are hearing from Biden!