Prof. ST Hsieh
Director, US-China Energy Industry Forum
626-376-7460
June 22, 2023
It looks like we are wasting time with President Biden about his speeches. Because Biden himself stated “I don’t think it’s had any real consequence.” One of the US readers commented: Biden started his remarks with “I don’t think”. Yes Joe that’s the problem. Advise Joe keep your mouth shut.
It is of concern that Biden does not seem to know or understand about China’s official response to his name calling: “The nature and impact are very negative,” the Chinese Embassy statement said. “The Chinese government and people feel deeply affronted and firmly oppose it.”
It is also very much to the point; Chinese are offended by Biden as another US reader’s comment: That must really sting to be called out of touch by Dementia Joe. Now China has officially called out: We urge the US side to immediately take earnest actions. Let us hope that China understands that President Biden does not enjoy the full support of the US public, please take many Biden’s statements “personally!”
It will take time and effort from Biden’s staff to rebuild some mutual respects between Biden and Xi. As a courtesy or for the shake of US-China relation, Xi will meet with Biden again but it is up to Biden to behave properly. However, if Biden insists that he cannot control his mouth: “The idea of me choosing and avoiding saying what I think is facts with regard to the relationship with China is just not something I’m going to change very much.” Then please do not waste time with Biden and we should structure the next US-China summit after Biden leaves office.
Biden downplays impact of his comments on Xi as China warns of ‘consequences’
Jennifer Hansler
Thu, June 22, 2023 at 11:27 AM PDT
US President Joe Biden downplayed the impact of his comments likening his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to a dictator, even as the Chinese government warned of “consequences” for the remarks.
“I don’t think it’s had any real consequence,” Biden said at a news conference Thursday, dismissing concerns that the relationship between the United States and China was worsening as “hysteria.”
The US president said he expected to meet Xi in the near future, and suggested he would not tone down his rhetoric in the future.
“The idea of me choosing and avoiding saying what I think is facts with regard to the relationship with China is just not something I’m going to change very much,” Biden said.
His comments come a day after Chinese Ambassador to the US Xie Feng “made serious representations and strong protests to senior officials of the White House and the US Department of State on June 21” about Biden’s comments, which the Chinese Embassy called a “smear” that “seriously contradicts basic facts, breaches diplomatic etiquette, infringes on China’s political dignity, runs counter to the commitments made by the US side, and undermines mutual trust.”
“We urge the US side to immediately take earnest actions to undo the negative impact and honor its own commitments. Otherwise, it will have to bear all the consequences,” the Thursday statement from the embassy said.
“The nature and impact are very negative,” the Chinese Embassy statement said. “The Chinese government and people feel deeply affronted and firmly oppose it.”
“President Biden said explicitly before that the United States respects China’s system, does not seek to change it and has no intention for a new Cold War,” it said. “But with the latest irresponsible remarks about China’s political system and top leader, people cannot help but question the sincerity of the US side.”
“The Chinese government and people do not accept any political provocation against China’s top leader, and will resolutely respond,” the statement said.
On Wednesday, the US State Department sought to downplay the potential impact of Biden’s comments, with State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel saying the remarks had “absolutely not at all” diminished the progress.
Biden defends calling Chinese leader Xi a ‘dictator’ and says he still expects to meet with him
ELLEN KNICKMEYER and SYLVIE CORBET
Thu, June 22, 2023 at 3:41 AM PDT
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday defended his harsh public comments on China, including calling President Xi Jinping a dictator, saying his words would have no negative impact on U.S.-China relations and that he still expects to meet with Xi sometime soon.
Biden said his blunt statements regarding China are “just not something I’m going to change very much.”
The remarks, which drew a formal protest from China, opened a new rift just days after Secretary of State Antony Blinken concluded a visit to Beijing that was meant as a step toward stabilizing ties and improving communications.
But Biden was undeterred.
“I expect to be meeting with President Xi sometime in the future, near-term. And I don’t think it’s had any real consequence,” he said.
His latest rebuff to China came on the same afternoon he welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the White House in an alliance-strengthening move against their shared rival, China.
Just hours earlier, China’s embassy in Washington said it had delivered a formal protest, with Chinese Ambassador Xie Feng telling senior White House and State Department officials Wednesday that Washington “should take earnest actions to undo the negative impact” of what Biden said or “bear all the consequences.”
As an official government-to-government communication, the ambassador’s message to the Biden administration carries more weight than the critical comments made a day earlier by a Chinese government spokesperson to reporters.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen addressed the latest rift Thursday at an unrelated news conference in Paris, saying, “with respect to the comments, I think President Biden and I both believe it’s critical to maintain communication … to clear up misperceptions, miscalculations. We need to work together where possible.”
“But we have disagreements, and we are also forthright in recognizing we do have disagreements,” she added.