US President Joe Biden said on Sunday, May 21, that relations between the United States and China should experience a "thaw very soon".

In that statement, Joe Biden referred to the alleged Chinese spy ball that Washington shot down last February. "He was shot and everything changed in terms of dialogue. I think you will see the beginning of a thaw very soon," the head of state told reporters after the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan.

Washington's decision in February to shoot down a Chinese spy balloon that allegedly flew over the United States sparked a diplomatic row between the two powers. A visit to Beijing by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, which had been heralded as an opportunity to improve relations, was cancelled after the incident.

Direct line of communication

At a press conference Sunday after the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, Joe Biden was asked why the direct line of communication between the United States and China was not operational.

"You're right, we should have an open hotline. At the Bali conference, this is what President Xi and I agreed to do and meet," he said. "And then this stupid balloon" carrying "spy equipment" "flew over the United States," Biden added.

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The Biden administration has also infuriated China by cracking down on the trade in semiconductors, which Washington says carry risks of military use.

The US president defended the actions on Sunday, a day after the G7 warned China against its "militarization activities" in the region. "China is developing its military, and that's why I've made it clear that I'm not ready to trade on certain items with it," he said.

"We have obtained a commitment from all our allies that they will not do it either, that they will not provide this type of equipment. But it's not a hostile act, it's an act that says, 'We're going to make sure we're doing everything in our power to maintain the status quo.'"

With AFP

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