Biden calls Chinese president Xi a ‘dictator’ day after Beijing talks
Mr Biden additionally mentioned it was “a great embarrassment” for Mr Xi when a suspected Chinese spy balloon was blown astray over US airspace early this yr,
His remarks got here after Secretary of State Antony Blinken met the Chinese chief for talks in Beijing on Tuesday within the first go to by a high US diplomat in virtually 5 years.
Mr Blinken had earlier mentioned the “chapter” on the spy balloon must be closed and the journey to Beijing marked an “important start” in stabilising US relations with China.
It was feared Mr Biden’s feedback had jeopardised these efforts.
China’s international ministry responded saying the feedback “go totally against facts and seriously violate diplomatic protocol, and severely infringe on China’s political dignity”.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning mentioned: “The US remarks are extraordinarily absurd and irresponsible.”
Mr Biden, speaking at a fundraiser in California, said: “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. That wasn’t supposed to be going where it was. It was blown off course,” Mr Biden added.
US President Joe Biden on Tuesday
/ APThe US leader also said China “has real economic difficulties.”
Both Mr Biden and Mr Xi had earlier hailed the Beijing talks as a welcome development after relations have especially deteriorated in the past year.
Washington and Beijing have clashed over an array of issues including spying, trade, human rights, and Taiwan.
Mr Biden also said he was proud of his son Hunter who reached a plea cope with the Department of Justice following a five-year prison investigation.
Hunter, 53, who has acknowledged combating dependancy following the 2015 loss of life of his brother, Beau, is predicted to plead responsible to 2 misdemeanour tax crimes and admit to illegally possessing a gun whereas a drug person.
The phrases of the settlement, introduced on Wednesday, are more likely to preserve him out of jail.
Top Republicans have criticised the deal as proof of a “two-tiered system of justice” amid former president Donald Trump’s indictment and arraignment associated to alleged mishandling of high secret paperwork.