Joe Biden calls for not “spoiling” US relations with Mexico and Canada

Photo: Jose Luis Magana Associated Press “The last thing we want to do is start to ruin these relationships” with “allies” Mexico and Canada, Joe Biden insisted, visiting a fire station on Nantucket Island.

Agence France-Presse in Nantucket

Published at 16:01

• United States

Joe Biden on Thursday called for not “spoiling” the United States' relations with Mexico and Canada, which are currently strained by Donald Trump's threats to impose 25% tariffs on products from those two countries.

“I think it's counterproductive,” the outgoing American president said from a fire station on the upscale island of Nantucket, on the country's northeast coast.

These neighboring countries are “allies,” he recalled, and “the last thing to do is to start spoiling these relations. »

The Democrat, responding to questions from the press, hoped that his Republican successor would “reconsider” this project when he takes office at the White House at the end of January.

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Donald Trump made an impression on people on Monday by confirming his desire to significantly increase customs tariffs on products from Mexico and Canada.

Presages of a trade war

This targeting of two neighboring countries, with which he himself signed a free trade agreement during his previous term, raises fears of a vast trade war capable of harming global growth.

Because during his campaign, the tribune made customs duties the backbone of his economic policy, promising to target all foreign products entering the United States.

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Mr. Trump intends to use this weapon as a diplomatic bargaining tool. He has promised to maintain this surcharge “until drugs, especially fentanyl, and all illegal immigrants stop this invasion of our country!”

A bet whose results are still uncertain. On Wednesday, he spoke with the president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, but their phone call gave rise to divergent interpretations.

The American assured that his counterpart had agreed to “stop illegal immigration” to the United States. But Ms. Sheinbaum contradicted him, recalling that Mexico’s position “is not to close the borders.”

Also towards China

Donald Trump also plans to increase customs duties by 10% on products from China, where the precursor chemicals needed to produce fentanyl, a deadly opioid that kills thousands of people in the United States each year, are manufactured.

This decision “will not solve” American problems, Beijing said on Thursday.

Asked about the state of relations between the United States and China, Mr. Biden recalled on Thursday that he had “established a direct line between President Xi [Jinping] and myself, as well as between our military.”

“One thing I know for sure about Xi is that he doesn’t want to make mistakes,” he said. “I’m not saying he’s our best friend, but he understands what’s at stake.”