U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday played down referring to Chinese President Xi Jinping as a "dictator" at a fundraiser on Tuesday. Although the Embassy in Washington has raised its protest with the State Department, Biden has said he does not believe his words "have any real consequences" and that he hopes to meet with Xi soon. Biden has made these statements in a joint press conference at the White House with the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, with whom the United States wants to strengthen its relations precisely as a counterweight to China.
On the first question, Biden has been asked whether his statement may undermine or complicate the relationship with China. "The answer is no," Biden said, but then gave a somewhat choppy and confusing explanation. After babbling, he started: "Choosing or avoiding saying what I think are the facts regarding the relationship with China is not something that is going to change much," he said. He has referred to the incident of the Chinese balloon, apparently, as a confusion and has assured that the trip of the Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has been a success. "I hope to meet with President Xi at some point in the future, in the short term and I don't think it has had any real consequences."
The US president thus turned a deaf ear to the Chinese Embassy in Washington, which has announced that it has lodged a formal protest. Chinese Ambassador Xie Feng told senior White House and State Department officials on Wednesday that Washington "should take serious steps to undo the negative impact" of Biden's remarks or "bear all consequences." "With the latest irresponsible comments about China's political system and its top leader, people cannot help but question the sincerity of the U.S. side" in its attempt to stabilize relations, said the embassy statement, which called Biden's words a "political provocation."
Although Modi is not head of state, but prime minister, he has been received with all the pageantry and paraphernalia of a state visit. The Indian president already dined on Wednesday at the White House in a more informal way, but this Thursday he participates in the third state dinner that Biden gives in the nearly two and a half years he has been president.
Before some 7,000 guests, both have launched speeches in the gardens of the White House in the morning in which they have opted for economic, commercial, political and defense cooperation and for closer ties between the two countries. More than four million Americans have roots in India, including Vice President Kamala Harris. Modi has referred to both countries as "the two largest democracies in the world."
Narendra Modi with Joe Biden at the White House on Thursday.Andrew Harnik (AP)
After their meeting in the Oval Office, both have appeared at a press conference. Biden has called the U.S.-India relationship "one of the most important in the world, stronger, closer and more dynamic than ever before in history." "On the issues that matter most and that will define the future, our nations look to each other, even on critical regional and global issues," Biden said.
Interestingly, in Modi's case, the White House conference was his first press conference since taking office nine years ago. He has always shied away from answering the press and this time he has faced two questions. The first had been about allegations of violations of the human rights of some minorities in his country, especially Muslims. Modi has denied the major while outside the White House groups of activists demonstrated against such abuses. "There is absolutely no room for discrimination," he said.
"Democracy is our spirit," said Modi, who has tried to equate Indian democracy with American democracy. "Democracy runs through our veins. We live democracy and our ancestors have put words to this concept." He said India has "shown that democracies can deliver results and, when I say deliver, it is without distinction of class, creed, religion or gender."
Biden has assured that during their meeting both have had a "good conversation about democratic values". At the beginning of it he indicated that he wanted the alliance between the two countries to be "based on democracy, human rights, freedom and the rule of law". The mere mention of those issues was an indication of concern about democratic regression in the country.
Another issue they have dealt with has been the war in Ukraine, where both countries have had divergent positions. India abstained from voting on UN resolutions condemning Russia and refused to join the global coalition against Moscow. Moreover, since the start of the war, India has drastically increased its purchases of Russian oil. Differences continue even in vocabulary. Where Biden speaks of "brutal war," Modi speaks of "events" and "dispute."
"We have talked about our shared efforts to mitigate the human tragedies unleashed by Russia's brutal war in Ukraine and to uphold the basic principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity of the United Nations Charter," Biden said. "Since the beginning of events in Ukraine. India has emphasized resolving the dispute through dialogue and diplomacy. We are fully ready to contribute in any way we can to restore peace," Modi said.
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