China on Friday shed its initial hesitation and applauded US President-elect Joe Biden and his deputy Kamala Harris for their triumph in the 2020 US presidential election, saying Beijing respects the choice of the American people.

'We have been following reactions on the U.S elections from both within the United States and the international community,' Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told a media briefing here when pointed out that more world leaders as well as United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have congratulated 77-year-old Biden.

"We respect the American people's choice and we extend congratulations to Biden and Harris and we understand that the result of the US presidential elections will be determined following the US laws and procedures," Wang said.

China at the start hesitated to congratulate Biden, a Democrat, after Republican incumbent President Donald Trump turned down to concede. On November 9, Wang had declined to congratulate Biden on his victory, saying the outcome of the American election should be decided by the country's laws and procedures.

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