marking a noticeable shift in tone for Beijing as it looks to minimize friction with Washington.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping presented an amicable China ready to improve ties with the United States in a landmark rapat with US President Joe Biden Wednesday, marking a noticeable shift in tone for Beijing as it looks to minimize friction with Washington.
marking a noticeable shift in tone for Beijing as it looks to minimize friction with Washington.
Whether that shift is a lasting one for the contentious relationship will be put to an immediate tes, however, by comments made by Biden during a solo press konferensi after the rapat. There, the President reiterated his view that Xi is a "dictator," after being asked by a wartawan whether he stood by a comment saying as much this past Juni.
At that poin, Beijing reacted with vitriol, with the remark seen as casting a shadow over tentative progress in advancing dialogue between the two sides following a visit from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
When asked about Biden's latest comment at a Chinese Foreign Ministry briefing on Thursday, a spokesperson called it "extremely erroneous" and an "irresponsible political maneuver, which China firmly opposes."
"What needs to be pointed out is that there will always be some people with ulterior motives attempting to undermine China-US relations. They will not succeed in doing so," spokesperson Mao Ning said.
It's still unclear whether there will be any further reaction this time, but the response comes as China's signaling around the San Francisco Bay Tempat rapat between Xi and Biden has marked a shift away from its hardline position on the United States. This softening comes as China grapples with a troubled economy and is keen to highlight Xi as a powerful and capable world leader.
According to pernyataants from both the US and China Wednesday, the two sides agreed to restore military communications and to combat the flow of fentanyl from China to the US during several hours of "constructive" meetings.
China labeled the talks as "positive" and "comprehensive" — while also highlighting Xi's usahas to spell out Beijing's non-negotiables such as its position on Taiwan and perceived American usahas to contain China's rise.
