26-6-2023 (WASHINGTON) Secretary of State Antony Blinken stood firmly behind President Joe Biden following Biden’s characterization of Chinese President Xi Jinping as a dictator during a recent fundraising event. In an interview on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday, Blinken affirmed the president’s candid and direct approach, emphasizing that Biden speaks for the entire administration.
Biden’s remarks came shortly after Blinken’s high-profile trip to China, where he engaged in discussions with Xi and other senior Chinese officials to ease escalating tensions between the two nations. The tensions had heightened after the sighting of a Chinese spy balloon flying over the United States in February.
China swiftly reacted to Biden’s comments, denouncing them as a “blatant political provocation.” Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, expressed strong dissatisfaction and opposition during a regular press briefing, describing the US remarks as extremely absurd and irresponsible, according to the Associated Press.
However, Blinken made no attempt to retract or soften the president’s statement during his Sunday interview. He highlighted that the main objective of his trip was to establish greater stability in the bilateral relationship. Both countries have an obligation to manage the relationship responsibly, ensuring that their significant differences do not escalate into conflict, Blinken asserted.
Nevertheless, Blinken conveyed to his Chinese counterparts during the trip that the United States would continue to express its perspectives and take actions that might not align with China’s preferences, just as China would likely do the same, touching upon the existence of profound differences between the two nations.
