Joe Biden has said he expects to see a “thaw” in US relations with Beijing, even as he concluded a G7 summit in Japan that made a concerted effort to counter military and economic security threats from China.The US president said in a news conference at the end of the three-day summit that talks between the two countries had shut down after a “silly balloon” carrying spying equipment flew over North America in February, before being shot down by the US military.
“Everything changed in terms of talking to one another. I think you’re gonna see that begin to thaw very shortly,” Biden said.
Biden added that his administration was considering lifting sanctions against Chinese defence minister Li Shangfu. Beijing recently refused to agree to a meeting with US defence secretary Lloyd Austin when the pair attend the Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore next month due to the sanctions.