In statements that seemed to try to ease tensions with China, Joe Biden said in a TV interview that Washington is “not looking for conflict” with Beijing, but at the same time he said that his colleague Xi Jinping is facing “enormous problems” . which angered Beijing, which denounced him. His statements were deemed “absolutely irresponsible” and these statements came amid tensions between the two countries over a huge Chinese balloon that flew over American soil before being shot down by the Pentagon and the White House announced that China has launched “in recent years … a fleet of balloons designed for espionage operations” around the world: “We are not looking for conflict, and this is so far,” US President Joe Biden said. said last Wednesday despite tensions following the fall of a Chinese balloon that US officials said was intended for espionage purposes. The US President’s statement was made in an interview with the “News Hour” program on the PBS television channel.
Biden’s comments appeared to be aimed at easing tensions over a huge Chinese airship that flew over the US mainland before being shot down by the Pentagon off the east coast.
But Biden said his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping is facing “tremendous challenges,” including his country’s fragile economy, and noted that China is limited in its ability to oppose the United States because of the need to protect international trade, which puts Xi at risk. predicament. unenviable position.
Although Xi also called him “great potential,” Biden said, “so far, his economy isn’t doing very well.”
Referring to China’s so far relatively cautious support for its ally Russia in its invasion of Ukraine, Biden said: “Everyone assumed that China would join Russia with all its weight,” adding that this was not the case.
Biden justified this by saying that Xi has learned from the West’s harsh reaction to Russia, including the imposition of massive economic sanctions against it.”
Here, China on Thursday denounced the “absolutely irresponsible” remarks of the US president. “These statements are completely irresponsible and violate the basic rules of diplomatic etiquette,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters. She added, “China is expressing strong dissatisfaction and strong opposition.”
During that conversation, Biden mentioned that 600 US companies have left Russia since its invasion of Ukraine began a year ago, and Biden met Xi for the first time since taking office in 2021 during their presence at the G20 summit in Bali last year. November.
The tug-of-war between the two countries continues over the Chinese balloon, and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced last week that he was canceling a trip to Beijing at the last minute due to balloon tensions.
And the White House announced on Wednesday that China has launched “in recent years … a fleet of spy balloons” around the world.
White House press secretary Karen Jean-Pierre said at a press conference aboard the Air Force One presidential plane carrying US President Joe Biden in Wisconsin: “Chinese balloons have been seen over countries on five continents, and the sovereignty of these countries has been violated. “.
Washington shot down a Chinese balloon flying over its territory, and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said: “The United States is providing allies with data from the analysis of the wreckage,” and added at a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stolenberg: “We are doing this because the United States has not been the sole purpose of this wider program that violated the sovereignty of countries on five continents.”
In turn, Stoltenberg, who visited Washington after visiting Japan and South Korea, said: “The balloon shows the need for NATO countries to defend themselves.”
And he believed that “the Chinese airship over the United States confirms the pattern of Chinese behavior through which we see that China has invested heavily in new military capabilities in recent years.”
“We have also seen an increase in China’s espionage activities in Europe, they use satellites, they use the Internet, and as we have seen over the United States (they also use) balloons,” he added.
Stoltenberg once again warned that China was learning from the war in Ukraine. He said, “What’s happening in Europe now may happen in Asia tomorrow,” referring to China’s pressure on Taiwan.
The Washington Post quoted US officials as saying the balloons were used to monitor military installations of neighboring adversaries such as Japan, India and Taiwan.
And the Pentagon said Chinese balloons flew over American soil three times for a limited period of time during former President Donald Trump’s term, and once at the start of Biden’s term for a short period.
For its part, China expressed “strong dissatisfaction” with Washington’s downing of the airship, which it claims is a “civilian used for research purposes, especially for meteorological purposes,” noting that it “inadvertently” violated US airspace.