Biden in Bali: 'I'm Told There Are Going to Be 4 Questioners' and 'I'm Having Trouble Reading This' (November 14, 2022)

After three and a half hours with China’s Xi Jinping, President Joe Biden held a news conference in Bali, Indonesia. He set the rules first. “Now I’m happy to take questions. And I’m told there are going to be 4 questioners, but I’m not going to do 10 questions from each questioner—[ laughter ]—all right? I’ll make that clear at the outset here,” Biden said [1].

Later, he read the next name from his list. “Ah, okay, I’m having trouble reading this. Reuters, Natandya [Nandita; White House correction] Bose,” Biden said. “Oh, there you are” [1].

The video above shows that moment from the Nov. 14, 2022, news conference, which began at 10:03 p.m. at the Grand Hyatt Bali hotel. Quotes are from the official transcript published by the American Presidency Project [1].

”Need Not Be a New Cold War”

The first questioner, Ken Thomas of the Wall Street Journal, asked whether “a new cold war with China can be avoided” and whether China was preparing to invade Taiwan [1].

“Well, to answer the first part of your question, I absolutely believe there’s—need not be a new cold war,” Biden said. “And I do not think there’s any imminent attempt on the part of China to invade Taiwan” [1].

“I made it clear that we want to see cross-strait issues peacefully resolved. And so it never has to come to that. And I’m convinced that he understood exactly what I was saying,” Biden said [1].

”I Mean What I Say”

Biden described his message to Xi. “I want to be clear—and be clear with all leaders, but particularly with Xi Jinping—that I mean what I say and I say what I mean, so there’s no misunderstanding,” he said [1].

He checked the clock with his staff. “I’ll look at my team—how long did that meeting last?” Biden asked. “Three and a half hours,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken answered [1].

“And I must say that he was as straightforward as he has been with me in the past. And I think that we understand one another,” Biden said of Xi [1].

He also announced a follow-up. “And I asked that Secretary Blinken travel to China to follow up on our discussions and continue keeping the lines of communication open between our two countries,” Biden said [1].

”Excuse Me”

Asked whether Xi had been tougher than before, Biden said, “Yes, I didn’t find him more confrontational or more conciliatory. I found him the way he’s always been: direct and straightforward” [1].

On North Korea, he corrected himself mid-answer. Any U.S. response to a nuclear test, Biden said, “would not be directed against North Korea—I mean, excuse me—it would not be directed against China, but it would be to send a clear message to North Korea” [1].

On Ukraine, he ruled out pressuring Kyiv. “And we are not going to engage in any negotiation. There’s no—nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. This is a decision Ukraine has to make,” Biden said [1].

”Election Deniers”

Biden opened with the midterms, still being counted at home. “And there was a strong rejection of election deniers at every level, from those seeking to lead our States and those seeking to serve in Congress and also those seeking to oversee the elections,” he said [1].

“And there was an emphatic statement that in America, the will of the people prevails,” Biden said [1].

Two days later, Republicans clinched the House. “The GOP has now won 218 seats after The Associated Press projected that Republican Mike Garcia will win re-election in California’s 27th Congressional District,” Fox News reported [2].

”I Shouldn’t Even Have Answered”

A reporter called out a question about abortion legislation. “I don’t think they can expect much of anything other than, we’re going to maintain our positions. I’m not going to get into more questions. I shouldn’t even have answered your question,” Biden said [1].

He kept going anyway. “I don’t think there’s enough votes to codify, unless something happens unusual in the House,” Biden said [1].

He also joked with the press corps. “I guess all of you are going swimming from here. It’s not far,” he said [1].

By the Numbers

4: questioners Biden said he had been told to take [1].
3.5: hours Biden spent with Xi, per Blinken [1].
10:03 p.m.: when the news conference began [1].
218: House seats Republicans had won two days later [2].
82: days from Bali until a U.S. jet shot down a Chinese spy balloon [1][3].

What Happened Next

The balloon. On Feb. 4, 2023, “the U.S. military has shot down the Chinese spy balloon over the Atlantic Ocean,” Fox News reported. “While the balloon was off the coast of South Carolina, it was shot down by U.S. military fighter jets on Saturday afternoon” [3].

Blinken’s trip was called off. “U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceled a scheduled trip to China as a result of the surveillance balloon,” Fox News reported [3].

For what Biden said about the balloon in his State of the Union three days later, see HYGO News’ page on the 2023 address, and for when the government learned of earlier balloons, the page on the balloon briefing.