Joe Biden warns China over threats to US sovereignty in State of the Union address

President Joe Biden has warned that the US will move to protect itself if China threatens its sovereignty as he used a joint address to Congress to deliver a defiant message to Beijing and defend his economic record in the White House.

“I am committed to work with China where it can advance American interests and benefit the world,” Biden said. “But make no mistake . . . if China threatens our sovereignty, we will act to protect our country.”

The president’s comments during his State of the Union address on Tuesday night came as tensions between the US and China have flared up after the Pentagon detected a Chinese spy balloon flying over the US and shot it down over the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of South Carolina.

The episode led to the cancellation of a planned trip to China by Antony Blinken, the secretary of state, and dashed hopes of a detente between Washington and Beijing after Biden’s meeting with Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, in November.

In an energetic oration that was met with cheers from Democrats and boos from Republicans, Biden also said his economic plans, including billions of dollars in subsidies for domestic manufacturing, including semiconductor production, were helping the US win the economic competition.

“I will make no apologies that we are investing to make America strong. Investing in American innovation, in industries that will define the future, and that China’s government is intent on dominating,” Biden said.

“[We are] investing in our alliances and working with our allies to protect our advanced technologies so they’re not used against us. Modernising our military to safeguard stability and deter aggression,” he added.

Domestically, Biden said he is building an “economy where no one is left behind” that will deliver tangible benefits for the most forgotten households in “blue-collar” America despite high inflation that has hammered his approval ratings. Twelve million jobs were created…