Biden & Macron’s first tête-à-tête

Joe Biden sought to mend and bolster US' strained ties with France in his first phone call as American President to his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, as the two leaders pledged to work together on shared foreign policy priorities, including China, and fight the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change.

Biden called Macron on Sunday and expressed his desire to strengthen bilateral ties. He also stressed his commitment to bolstering the transatlantic relationship, including through NATO and the United States' partnership with the European Union, the White House said.

"The leaders agreed on the need for close coordination, including through multilateral organisations, in tackling common challenges such as climate change, COVID-19 and the global economic recovery," it said in a statement.

Biden and Macron also agreed to work together on shared foreign policy priorities, including China, the Middle East, Russia, and West Africa's Sahel region.

This was Biden's fourth phone call with a foreign leader after being sworn in as the US President.

Biden's first two phone calls have been with the leaders of its two neighbours - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada and President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of Mexico.