Biden Voices Concern About Hong Kong Crackdown In First Call To Xi

U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday held his first call as President with Xi Jinping, pressing the Chinese leader about trade and Beijing's crackdown on democracy activists in Hong Kong as well as other human rights concerns.

The two leaders spoke just hours after Mr. Biden announced plans for a Pentagon task force to review U.S. national security strategy in China and after the new U.S. president announced he was levying sanctions against Myanmar's military regime following this month's coup in the southeast Asian country.

A White House statement said Mr. Biden raised concerns about Beijing’s “coercive and unfair economic practices." Mr. Biden also pressed Mr. Xi on Hong Kong, human rights abuses against Uighur and ethnic minorities in the western Xinjiang province, and its actions toward Taiwan.