US President Joe Biden referred to Chinese President Xi Jinping as a dictator during a private fundraising event in Northern California on Tuesday evening. This comes after Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to China on Monday, where he met with Xi Jinping. During his speech, Mr. Biden spoke about the Chinese surveillance balloon that was shot down by the US military in February off the coast of South Carolina, implying that Xi was caught off guard by the incident. The President said, “And the reason why Xi Jinping got very upset in terms of when I shot that balloon down with two boxcars full of spy equipment in it is he didn’t know it was there. That’s what’s a great embarrassment for dictators when they didn’t know what happened.”
Blinken’s visit to China was the first by a Secretary of State since 2018, and it comes amid growing diplomatic tensions between the two superpowers. Blinken called the relationship between the US and China a “work in progress” and stressed the importance of establishing communication lines between the two governments. The Secretary of State also canceled a scheduled trip to China in February due to the balloon incident.
Despite the recent tensions, President Biden praised Blinken and mentioned that Xi Jinping “wants to have a relationship again” with the US. Both countries have been working to stabilize their relationship in recent years, as tensions continue to rise. This visit was a step towards reestablishing lines of communication between the two governments, which is essential in avoiding conflicts that could further escalate the situation.
The US and China have been in a trade war, and the recent issues surrounding Hong Kong and Taiwan have further strained the relationship. However, both parties realize the importance of maintaining a stable relationship, given the impact it has on the global economy. Therefore, it is essential for the US and China to continue to engage in diplomatic talks and work towards finding common ground.
In conclusion, the US and China are working to stabilize their relationship, which has been fraught with tension in recent years. The recent visit by Secretary of State Antony Blinken to China was a step towards reestablishing communication lines between the two governments, which is essential in avoiding conflicts. Despite recent tensions, both parties realize the importance of maintaining a stable relationship, given the impact it has on the global economy. It is essential for the US and China to continue engaging in diplomatic talks and work towards finding common ground.
Original Story at www.cbsnews.com – 2023-06-21 03:11:00