In a recent campaign event in Kentfield, California, President Biden made a bold statement referring to Chinese leader Xi Jinping as a dictator, Washington Post reports.
The comment came in the aftermath of an incident involving a Chinese spy balloon that the United States shot down back in February, which caught Xi off guard.
"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 is he didn't know it was there. That was the great embarrassment for dictators when they didn't know what happened." Biden explained during his speech.
These remarks have the potential to escalate tensions between the two global powers, considering the sensitivity of such labels and the already strained relationship between the United States and China. The comment by the U.S. President, even during a campaign event, is likely to draw attention and provoke reactions from both domestic and international audiences.
The timing of Biden's statement is quite surprising, as it comes just after Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to China. Blinken's visit was highly anticipated and was intended to ease the growing tensions between the two nations. The discussions during the visit were described by Blinken as "very candid, very in-depth," and "constructive."
Originally scheduled earlier this year, Blinken's visit had been postponed due to the discovery of the spy balloon flying in U.S. airspace. The subsequent shooting down of the balloon in February further strengthens the already strained economic and military relations between Washington and Beijing.
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