Joe Biden

==== China relations ====
{{Further information|China–United States relations}}
[[File:President Biden met with Xi Jinping before the 2022 G20 Bali Summit.jpg|thumb|left|Biden with Chinese leader [[Xi Jinping]] during the [[2022 G20 Bali summit|G20 summit in Bali]], November 14, 2022]]
China's assertiveness, particularly in the Pacific, remains a challenge for Biden. The [[China–Solomon Islands relations|Solomon Islands-China security pact]] caused alarm, as China could build military bases across the South Pacific. Biden sought to strengthen ties with Australia and New Zealand in the wake of the deal, as [[Anthony Albanese]] [[2022 Australian federal election|succeeded]] to the premiership of Australia and [[Jacinda Ardern]]'s government took a firmer line on Chinese influence.<ref>{{Cite news |first=Ralph |last=Jennings |title=US Beefs Up South Pacific Aid, Diplomacy as China Spreads Its Influence |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/us-beefs-up-south-pacific-aid-diplomacy-as-china-spreads-its-influence-/6658148.html |date=July 13, 2022 |access-date=July 18, 2022 |agency=[[Voice of America]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=May 24, 2022 |title=In meeting with Biden, Australia's Albanese recalls colourful first trip to U.S. |work=[[Reuters]] |first=Kirsty |last=Needham |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/meeting-with-biden-australias-albanese-recalls-colourful-first-trip-us-2022-05-24/ |access-date=July 18, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=What the China-Solomon Islands Pact Means for the U.S. and South Pacific |url=https://www.cfr.org/in-brief/china-solomon-islands-security-pact-us-south-pacific |date=May 4, 2022 |first=Zongyuan Zoe |last=Liu |access-date=July 18, 2022 |publisher=[[Council on Foreign Relations]]}}</ref> In a September 2022 interview with ''[[60 Minutes]]'', Biden said that U.S. forces would defend Taiwan in the event of "an unprecedented attack" by the Chinese,<ref>{{cite web |last1=John |first1=Ruwitch |title=Biden, again, says U.S. would help Taiwan if China attacks |url=https://www.npr.org/2022/09/19/1123759127/biden-again-says-u-s-would-help-taiwan-if-china-attacks |publisher=NPR |access-date=January 29, 2023}}</ref> which is in contrast to the long-standing U.S. policy of "[[strategic ambiguity]]" toward China and Taiwan.<ref name="Kine">{{cite magazine |last1=Kine |first1=Phelim |title=Biden leaves no doubt: 'Strategic ambiguity' toward Taiwan is dead |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2022/09/19/biden-leaves-no-doubt-strategic-ambiguity-toward-taiwan-is-dead-00057658 |magazine=[[Politico]] |date=September 19, 2022 |access-date=January 29, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=A bristling China says Biden remarks on Taiwan "severely violate" U.S. policy |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/china-biden-taiwan-remarks-angry-reaction/ |website=CBS News |date=September 19, 2022 |access-date=January 29, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Analysis {{!}} Biden's most hawkish comments on Taiwan yet |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/09/19/biden-taiwan-china-defense/ |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=January 28, 2023}}</ref> In late 2022, Biden issued several executive orders and federal rules designed to slow Chinese technological growth, and maintain U.S. leadership over computing, biotech, and clean energy.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Bade |first=Gavin |title='A sea change': Biden reverses decades of Chinese trade policy |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2022/12/26/china-trade-tech-00072232 |access-date=December 30, 2022 |magazine=[[Politico]] |date=December 26, 2022}}</ref>

On February 4, 2023, Biden ordered the United States Air Force to shoot down a [[2023 Chinese balloon incident|suspected Chinese surveillance balloon]] off the coast of [[Myrtle Beach, South Carolina]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Baldor |first1=Lolita C. |last2=Copp |first2=Tara |title=China balloon: Many questions about suspected spy in the sky |url=https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-antony-blinken-china-b1b03193b7abeb7bbeca169bbc7c2c53 |publisher=[[Associated Press]] |date=February 4, 2023 |access-date=February 9, 2023 |archive-date=February 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209010911/https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-antony-blinken-china-b1b03193b7abeb7bbeca169bbc7c2c53 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3288543/f-22-safely-shoots-down-chinese-spy-balloon-off-south-carolina-coast/ |title=F-22 Safely Shoots Down Chinese Spy Balloon Off South Carolina Coast |last=Garamone |first=Jim |date=February 4, 2023 |publisher=[[United States Department of Defense]] |access-date=February 12, 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230211012305/https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3288543/f-22-safely-shoots-down-chinese-spy-balloon-off-south-carolina-coast/ |archive-date=February 11, 2023 |quote=A U.S. Air Force fighter safely shot down a Chinese high-altitude surveillance balloon today, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said in a written statement.}}</ref> The [[United States Department of State|State Department]] said the balloon carried antennas and other equipment capable of geolocating communications signals, and similar balloons from China have flown over more than 40 nations.<ref name="washingtonpost/2023/02/09/chinese-balloon-program2">{{cite news |last1=Hudson |first1=John |last2=Nakashima |first2=Ellen |last3=Lamothe |first3=Dan |date=February 9, 2023 |title=U.S. declassifies balloon intelligence, calls out China for spying |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/02/09/chinese-balloon-surveillance-program/ |url-status=live |url-access=limited |access-date=February 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210005507/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/02/09/chinese-balloon-surveillance-program/ |archive-date=February 10, 2023}}</ref> The [[Chinese government]] denied that the balloon was a surveillance device, instead claiming it was a civilian (mainly meteorological) [[airship]] that had blown off course.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lee |first=Matthew |date=February 4, 2023 |title=Chinese balloon soars across US; Blinken scraps Beijing trip |url=https://apnews.com/article/politics-antony-blinken-china-314302278a5f05bdc2df146ed5b35ec6 |url-status=live |publisher=[[Associated Press]] |access-date=February 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205001417/https://apnews.com/article/politics-antony-blinken-china-314302278a5f05bdc2df146ed5b35ec6 |archive-date=February 5, 2023}}</ref> The incident was seen as damaging to U.S. and China relations.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Pamuk |first1=Humeyra |last2=Ali |first2=Idrees |last3=Martina |first3=Michael |last4=Ali |first4=Idrees |date=February 4, 2023 |access-date=September 30, 2023 |title=Blinken postpones China trip over 'unacceptable' Chinese spy balloon |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/china-expresses-regret-that-civilian-airship-strays-over-us-2023-02-03/}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Cadell |first1=Cate |last2=Hudson |first2=John |last3=Abutaleb |first3=Yasmeen |title=Blinken postpones China trip as suspected spy balloon detected over U.S. |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/02/03/blinken-postpones-china-trip-suspected-spy-balloon-detected-over-us |url-access=limited |access-date=February 5, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Hansler |first1=Jennifer |last2=Liptak |first2=Kevin |last3=Herb |first3=Jeremy |last4=Atwood |first4=Kylie |last5=Sciutto |first5=Kylie |last6=Liebermann |first6=Oren |date=February 3, 2023 |title=Blinken postpones trip to Beijing after Chinese spy balloon spotted over US, officials say |publisher=[[CNN]] |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/03/politics/china-us-balloon-intl/index.html |url-status=live |access-date=February 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204022758/https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/03/politics/china-us-balloon-intl/index.html |archive-date=February 4, 2023}}</ref>