Beijing, Washington trade barbs after Biden labels China's Xi a 'dictator'
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The State Department clapped back at remarks issued by China's Foreign Ministry after it took issue with President Biden calling Chinese President Xi Jinping a "dictator."
"That’s a great embarrassment for dictators, when they didn't know what happened," he continued. "That wasn’t supposed to be going where it was."
Biden said the balloon was "blown off course" as it traveled down through the U.S.
"And he didn't know about it. When it got shot down, he was very embarrassed. He denied it was even there," Biden added.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning responded to the comments Wednesday morning and accused Biden of a "blatant political provocation," calling his comments "absurd" and "irresponsible."
"China expresses strong dissatisfaction and opposition," Mao said, adding that Biden’s comments "go totally against facts and seriously violate diplomatic protocol, and severely infringe on China’s political dignity."
"However, the U.S. distorted facts and used forces to hype up the incident, fully revealing its nature of bullying and hegemony," she added.
Patel backed the president’s comments and told reporters that "it should come as no surprise that we have differences and disagreements with the [People’s Republic of China] PRC."
Patel said the U.S. would continue to engage with China through diplomatic and "responsible" means to "manage tensions and clear up misperceptions."
"That does not mean, of course, we will not be blunt and forthright about our difference," he added.
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