The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden indicated on Tuesday it is in no hurry to engage with China, a strategic rival it has vowed to out-compete, and said it and would do so once it was in "lockstep" with allies and partners.
Biden has spoken to many world leaders since taking office on Jan. 20, but has yet to speak to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, and White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki told a briefing she could not say when a call might take place.
Psaki said that with Antony Blinken in place as U.S. secretary of state, "there are additional layers to engage with the Chinese," but both she and State Department spokesman Ned Price said speaking to allies and partners came first.