President Joe Biden remains confident in his upcoming meeting with Xi Jinping, disregarding Beijing’s backlash over his comparison of the Chinese leader to dictators.
Biden rejected the idea that the relationship with China is declining and praised the talks held in Beijing on Monday between Xi and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who sought to handle the tensions between the two countries.
Biden Exposes Xi’s Ignorance of US Surveillance Balloon
During a press conference with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Biden expressed his positive view on Secretary Blinken’s visit to China, and he anticipated a future meeting with President Xi in the near future. He emphasized his commitment to stating his genuine beliefs about China, asserting that he would not shy away from expressing his opinions.
Speaking two days after Blinken’s visit, Biden mentioned that Xi, who has consolidated his power unlike any Chinese leader in recent history, was unaware of a purported surveillance balloon that flew over the mainland United States in February.
President Joe Biden explained that Xi’s agitation was due to the fact that he had no knowledge of the balloon’s presence, emphasizing the embarrassment faced by dictators when they are uninformed about significant events.
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Chinese Ambassador Protests Biden’s Remarks on Xi
The balloon incident generated significant public outcry in the United States, resulting in Blinken canceling his initially planned trip to Beijing, despite some doubts among administration officials about the threat posed by the object.
China’s ambassador to Washington, Xie Feng, lodged a formal protest with the White House and the State Department, denouncing Biden’s critical remarks about Xi.
The Chinese embassy released a statement labeling Biden’s comments as “inaccurate, absurd, and irresponsible,” characterizing them as a deliberate political provocation, echoing Beijing’s condemnation.
Throughout his long political career, Biden has been recognized for his candidness, as well as his belief in the efficacy of personal diplomacy. He mentioned that he had engaged in more than 24 hours of conversations with Xi during their time as vice presidents, which contributed to the amicable atmosphere when they first met as presidents in November at the Group of 20 summits in Bali.
Xi and Biden are both expected to attend the next G20 summit in New Delhi in September. Additionally, Biden has extended an invitation to Xi to visit San Francisco in November, when the United States will be hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.
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