Declaring that “America is rising anew” under his leadership, President Joe Biden has told China that the US will maintain a “strong” military presence in the Indo-Pacific “not to start conflict, but to prevent one” as Beijing became more assertive in the strategically vital region.

Using his maiden address to the joint session of Congress on the eve of his 100th day in office to make a strong case for huge new investments and tax reforms to overhaul the US economy and rebuild the middle class, Biden said, “we have acted to restore the people’s faith in our democracy to deliver.”