China hopes Biden will repair Sino-US relations

China congratulated the new U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday following his inauguration and expressed hope the bilateral relationship of the countries could have "a better future".

At a daily briefing Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said China and the U.S. should unite together and rectify the issues left by the Trump administration over the past four years, whom Hua accused of making "many lies" and "inciting too much hatred and division".

The Trump administration "has buried too many mines in China-U.S. relations that need to be removed, burned too many bridges that need to be rebuilt, destroyed too many roads that need to be repaired," said Hua. Biden is widely expected to try to resume cooperation with China on North Korea, climate change and the coronavirus following the confrontational approach of President Donald Trump, who launched a tariff war and sanctioned Chinese companies.

But analysts expect few major U.S. policy changes due to widespread frustration with Beijing over trade, human rights and technology theft.

The United States and China have one of the world's biggest trading relationships but official ties under the Trump administration have been roiled by spying accusations, the coronavirus pandemic, Beijing's crackdown on Hong Kong and disputes over control of the South China Sea.

"I believe with the joint efforts of both sides, the kind angels in China-US relations can overcome the evil forces," said Hua.

Image: Associated Press