US doesn’t seek ‘Cold War’ with China

The United States is determined to promote its vision of global freedom and prosperity but does not seek "conflict" with rival China or a new Cold War, President Joe Biden told the United Nations yesterday.

"Let me be direct about the competition between the United States and China," Biden said in an address to the UN General Assembly. "As we manage shifting geopolitical trends, the United States will conduct itself as a reasonable leader. We do not seek conflict, we do not seek a Cold War."

Washington will not call on countries to "choose" between US and other partners, Biden stressed, though "the United States will be unabashed in promoting our vision of a free, open, secure and prosperous world."

Biden said that Washington supports the expansion of the UN Security Council to better represent areas including Africa and Latin America.

"The United States supports increasing the number of both permanent and non-permanent representatives of the council," Biden told the UN General Assembly.

"This includes permanent seats for those nations we've long supported -- permanent seats for countries in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean. The United States is committed to this vital work," he added.

The US President tore into Vladimir Putin as he addressed the United Nations, saying the Russian leader "shamelessly violated" the UN Charter when he invaded neighbor Ukraine.

"Russia has shamelessly violated the core tenets of the United Nations Charter," Biden said as he addressed the UN General Assembly.

He said Moscow was making "irresponsible" threats to use nuclear weapons.

"A permanent member of the United Nations Security Council invaded its neighbor, attempted to erase a sovereign state from the map. Russia has shamelessly violated the core tenets of the United Nations Charter," Biden said.

Earlier yesterday, Putin ordered a Russian mobilization to fight in Ukraine and made a thinly veiled threat to use nuclear weapons, in what Nato called a "reckless" act of desperation in the face of a looming Russian defeat.

"A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought," Biden said.

Biden said no one had threatened Russia, despite its claims to the contrary, and that only Russia had sought conflict. He pledged the United States would stand in solidarity with Ukraine.

The United States and Western allies are competing with Russia for diplomatic influence. The United States has acknowledged that some countries are concerned the Ukraine war had drawn global attention away from other crises.

He also said that Americans "stand with the brave women of Iran" during growing protests over the death of a young woman arrested by the country's morality police.

"Today we stand with the brave citizens and the brave women of Iran who right now are demonstrating to secure their basic rights," Biden told the UN General Assembly.