'I plan to run for re-election, that's my expectation', says President Biden at his first solo news conference since taking office

(Washington) President Joe Biden has confirmed he plans to run for re-election in 2024, local media reported on Friday.

Biden was addressing the first solo press briefing after election as the American president.

He said, "I set a goal that's in front of me to get things done for the people I care most about, which are hardworking decent American people." The US president stated he is confident that Vice President Kamala Harris would also be on the ticket.

Biden noted that he had selected Vice President Kamala Harris to lead diplomatic efforts with Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador to stem the flow of migrants.

Policy towards China

Biden expressed the desire to push China to play by international rules. He compared Chinese President Xi Jinping to Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling them both supporters of autocracy.

He said the United States is not looking for confrontation with China over differences on trade, Beijing’s rollback of democracy in Hong Kong, treatment of minority Uighurs and military buildup.

“He’s one of the guys, like Putin, who thinks that autocracy is the wave of the future, (and) democracy can’t function in an ever-complex world,” Biden said of Xi. “He doesn’t have a democratic - with a small ‘d’ - bone in his body, but he’s a smart, smart guy.”

He said he would insist the Chinese leader “play by the international rules, fair competition, fair practices, fair trade.”

Asylum seekers

Regarding a surge in asylum seekers and unaccompanied children, Biden stated that none of the previous US administrations had refused to provide care and shelter to those coming over from Mexico, except that of Trump. "Rather than leaving them to “starve to death” at the border, my administration would care for them," he remarked.

COVID vaccination

Biden also announced to administer 200 million vaccination shots against COVID-19 in the United States in his first 100 days in office.

He said he was able to reach his initial goal of administering 100 million vaccination shots in the White and now he is doubling the target. “I know it’s ambitious, twice our original goal, but no other country in the world has even come close,” the Democratic president said.

Denuclearizaton of North Korea

Speaking about North Korea's missile launches, Biden said: “If they choose to escalate, we will respond accordingly,” he said.

He said the US is prepared for “some form of diplomacy” with North Korea, “but it has to be conditioned upon the end result of denuclearization.”

Increase in migrants

Biden also defended his migration policy along the U.S. border with Mexico. He said the increase in migration is cyclical. “It happens every single solitary year. There is a significant increase in the number of people coming to the border in the winter months,” he said. “It happens every year.”

He said many migrants are fleeing problems in their home countries and blamed Trump for dismantling parts of the U.S. immigration system.