Joe Biden heads to UK for his debut overseas trip as president

President Joe Biden salutes as he boards Air Force One (Alex Brandon/AP)

Joe Biden is eager to use his first overseas visit as president to reassert the United States on the world stage, steadying European allies deeply shaken by his predecessor and pushing democracy as the only bulwark to rising forces of authoritarianism.

Mr Biden has set the stakes for his eight-day trip in sweeping terms, believing the West must publicly demonstrate it can compete economically with China as the world emerges from the coronavirus pandemic.