Joe Biden holds first solo press conference, talks about China and US-Mexico border issues

United States President Joe Biden held his first solo press conference on Thursday afteron at White House. President Biden took longer than his predecessors to formally address press, however, he did make news on several issues. His last four predecessors Donald Trump, Barack Obama, George W Bush and Bill Clinton have had ir first press briefings in first two months of ir Oval Office tenure. Biden, as opposed, has only limited conversational occasional briefings. 

President Biden teased that re is a need to change Senate rules that would allow bills to pass with fewer votes, as this may be necessary for him to achieve some of goals. He said, “If re is complete lockdown and chaos, as a consequence of filibuster, n we’re going to have to go beyond what I’m talking about”. He furr added, “I want to get things done. I want to get m done consistent with what we promised American people. I am going to say something outrous: I have never been particularly poor at calculating how to get things done in United States Senate”.

US-Mexico border issue 

On being repeatedly pressed about situation at US-Mexico border, Biden promised better media access to camps, once his administration has a better handle on things. He also ensured improvements to nation’s immigration system. He said, “I can’t guarantee that we’re going to solve everything, but I can guarantee that we’re going to make it better”.

200 million vaccine shots in first 100 days 

He opened news conference by setting an ambitious goal of administering 200 million COVID vaccine shots in his first 100 days in office. He said, “I kw it’s ambitious, twice our original goal. But or country in world has even come close. t even close to what we're doing. I believe we can do it”. His original goal was to administer 100 million shots in his first 100 days.

President Xi Jinping “doesn’t have a democratic bone in his body”

He vowed that China’s ambition of becoming wealthiest and most powerful country in world is “t going to happen under my watch”. He said that Chinese President Xi Jinping “doesn’t have a democratic bone in his body” as he talked about “holding China accountable to follow rules”. “He’s one of people, like Putin, who thinks autocracy is wave of future”, Biden said. He recalled having a two-hour phone conversation with Xi when Chinese leader called him after he won election. He said that he made clear to Xi that he foresees “stiff competition with China”.

(Im Credits: AP)