By Enyichukwu Enemanna
The Chinese Government has condemned President of the United States, Joe Biden, for calling his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping a “dictator” saying the remarks were absurd and a provocation.
The unexpected row comes as Washington and Beijing make efforts to douse the escalating tension.
Biden made his comments just a day after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Beijing to stabilise relations that China said are at their lowest point since formal ties were established, Reuters reported.
Attending a fundraiser in California, Biden said Xi was very embarrassed when a suspected Chinese spy balloon was blown off course over US airspace early this year. Blinken had said on Monday the chapter should be closed.
“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 in it was he didn’t know it was there,” Biden said.
“That’s a great embarrassment for dictators. When they didn’t know what happened. That wasn’t supposed to be going where it was. It was blown off course.”
In remarks, he also said China “has real economic difficulties”.
Reacting, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said Biden’s remarks were “extremely absurd” and “irresponsible”.
Expressing China’s strong displeasure, foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Biden’s comments seriously violated facts, diplomatic protocol and China’s political dignity.
“They’re an open political provocation,” she told a news conference.
Asked how aware Xi had been about the balloon’s movements, Mao reiterated China’s previous explanation that the passage of the balloon through US airspace had been unintended and caused by circumstances beyond its control.
