United States President Joe Biden has called Chinese President Xi Jinping a dictator at a fundraising event in California. His remarks came a day after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Xi for talks in Beijing, which were aimed at easing tensions between the two superpowers.
Biden also said the Chinese President was embarrassed after an alleged Chinese spy balloon was shot down by the US. However, China has said it firmly opposed Biden’s comments. China’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning called Biden’s remarks extremely absurd and irresponsible.
Speaking at a regularly scheduled press conference, she described the comment as an open political provocation that violates diplomatic etiquette. The balloon, which China says was monitoring weather, drifted across the continental US before being destroyed by American military aircraft in February.
Chidozie Chima | September 13, 2024
