2023-06-21 03:18:17
US President Joe Biden verbally equated his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping with dictators at a Democratic Party fundraiser. At the reception in California on Tuesday, Biden said Xi was angered in February when a Chinese balloon believed by Washington to be for espionage purposes flew over the United States before being shot down by US military jets.
“The reason Xi Jinping got very angry when I shot down that balloon full of spy gear is because he didn’t know he was there,” Biden said. “It’s very embarrassing for dictators when they don’t know what happened,” added the head of state. When the balloon was launched, Xi was “in a very awkward position and he has denied that he was there.”
Biden, who is running for president once more at the age of 80, told his audience not to worry regarding China. “China has real economic difficulties,” he said.
The statements by the US President are likely to trigger strong opposition from Beijing. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had just made efforts to improve the tense bilateral relations during a two-day visit there.
The day-long overflight of a Chinese balloon over the United States and its launch had led to an uproar between Washington and Beijing. Relations between Washington and Beijing have deteriorated significantly in recent years over trade and human rights issues, dealings with Taiwan, and a host of other issues.
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