China speaks out on US President Joe Biden ending re-election campaign

Speaking at a press conference in Beijing on July 22, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning emphasized: “The US presidential election is an internal matter of the US and I will not comment on this issue.”

Earlier, on the afternoon of July 21, US East Coast time (early morning of July 22, Vietnam time), US President Joe Biden suddenly announced his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential re-election campaign, and at the same time supported Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him as the Democratic candidate to face the Republican candidate - former President Donald Trump.

President Biden's letter posted on social media X stated: "Dear Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. My first decision as the party's nominee in 2020 was to select Kamala Harris as Vice President. It was the best decision I ever made. Today, I want to express my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the party's nominee this year."

After the 46th owner of the White House announced his withdrawal from the presidential re-election campaign in November, world leaders highly appreciated President Joe Biden's contributions to the United States as well as international relations.

From Europe, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he respected President Biden's decision, emphasizing that Mr. Biden had had a meaningful political career.

Mr Starmer also affirmed his desire to continue to cooperate with Mr Biden for the rest of his presidency, saying the US leader's decision was based on what he believed was in the best interests of the American people.

Expressing respect for Mr. Biden's decision, writing on social network X, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz praised Mr. Biden's achievements, bringing benefits to the United States, Europe and the world.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said President Biden had made "many difficult decisions" that helped ensure safety and security for Poland, the United States and the world.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also expressed his gratitude for the strong steps taken to support Ukraine.

On the Russian side, the Kremlin said it was monitoring developments after President Biden announced his withdrawal from the race, and said that "a lot can change" at this stage.

Speaking to reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stressed: “The US presidential election is still four months away. It is a long road, in which many things can change. We need to pay attention, monitor what will happen and affect our work.”

In the Americas, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stressed that Mr. Biden is a true partner and friend to the Canadian people, and appreciated his time serving the country.

From Oceania, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese affirmed that President Biden has made the US-Australia alliance stronger than ever, with a shared commitment to international security, prosperity and climate action for this and future generations.

In the Middle East, Israeli President Isaac Herzog thanked his counterpart Biden for his “steadfast friendship and support for the people of Israel.” The leader described Biden as a “true ally of the Jewish people” in a post on social media X.