June 23, 2023
2 mins read

Biden defends ‘dictator’ remarks on Xi

The President said he expected to meet Xi in the near future, and suggested he would not going to tone down his rhetoric…reports Asian Lite News

Despite the Beijing government warning of “consequences” for his remarks, US President Joe Biden has downplayed the impact of his comments comparing his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to a “dictator”.

Addressing a joint press conference alongside visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Biden on Thursday said that “I don’t think it’s had any real consequence” and called rejected concerns over worsening US-China ties as “hysteria”, reports CNN.

The President also said he expected to meet Xi in the near future, and suggested he would not going to tone down his rhetoric.

“The idea of me choosing and avoiding saying what I think is facts with regard to the relationship with China is just not something I’m going to change very much.”

At a fundraiser in California on Tuesday, President Biden said that Xi was embarrassed over the recent tensions involving a suspected Chinese spy balloon transiting the US which was shot down by an American fighter jet

“The reason why Xi Jinping got very upset, in terms of when I shot that balloon down with two box cars full of spy equipment in it, was he didn’t know it was there. That’s a great embarrassment for dictators. When they didn’t know what happened,” he said.

In response, Chinese Ambassador to the US Xie Feng on Wednesday “made serious representations and strong protests to senior officials of the White House and the US Department of State” about the remarks, which Beijing’s Embassy in Washington called a “smear” that “seriously contradicts basic facts, breaches diplomatic etiquette, infringes on China’s political dignity, runs counter to the commitments made by the US side, and undermines mutual trust”.

“We urge the US side to immediately take earnest actions to undo the negative impact and honour its own commitments. Otherwise, it will have to bear all the consequences,” CNN quoted the Embassy as saying in a statement.

Biden made the remarks just a day after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken became the highest ranking American official to meet Xi in Beijing.

Blinken’s meeting with Xi in Beijing on Monday was part of efforts to improve the strained relations between the two largest economies.

On the outcome of the meeting, Xi had said that some progress was made, while Blinken indicated both sides were open to more talks as major differences remained.

Blinken’s visit to Beijing, which was the first by a Secretary of State to China in five years, restarted high-level communications between the two countries.

The Biden administration’s relationship with Beijing is one of its most complicated and consequential, and one that has seen months of strain, including two military-related incidents in recent weeks.

Biden and Xi met in person for the first time as presidents on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Indonesia last November.

Blinken’s trip, which had been announced by Biden and Xi after their meeting, was originally scheduled for February.

But it was postponed after the discovery of the suspected Chinese spy balloon.

ALSO READ: Biden expresses delight in hosting Modi

Previous Story

Democracy in our DNA, says Modi  

Next Story

Applied Materials plans $400 mn investment in India

Latest from -Top News

Visa Interview Pause Nearing End, Says US

India is the source country for the largest group of international students in the US and Bruce’s comments will be closely followed there….reports Asian Lite News The United States said the pause

White House: Israel OKs Gaza Truce

Hamas said Thursday that its leadership had received a new Gaza ceasefire proposal from Witkoff through the mediators and was studying it…reports Asian Lite News The White House said that Israel has

No Talks Till Terror Ends: India to Pakistan

The MEA’s strong response came at a time when Pakistan, pushed on the backfoot by India’s decisive Operation Sindoor, has suddenly started talking about its intent on having peace talks with India….reports

BNP ramps up poll demand

Chief Adviser Yunus had earlier promised elections in December 2025, but the timeline has since been pushed back first to February 2026 and then to June 2026, fuelling suspicion and dissatisfaction among

Saudi backs India’s strategic outreach

In a series of engagements, the Indian delegation met Saudi Arabia’s Minister of State Adel Al-Jubeir and other senior officials. A high-profile Indian all-party parliamentary delegation, led by BJP MP Baijayant Jay
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Chinese envoy calls on Jaishankar in Delhi

Xu arrived in New Delhi on May 10 and assumed

US Intercepts Drones, Missile From Yemen Targeting Warship

Despite repeated strikes by the US and UK, the Iran-backed