(LibertySociety.com) – US President Joe Biden tried to downplay what he called “hysteria,” referring to public reaction to his comments during a June 22 press conference about the United States’ relationship with China. He told reporters that Washington and Beijing were doing great, despite reports of a diplomatic clash after referring to Chinese President Xi Jinping as a “dictator.”
In the press conference, the president said that the biggest example of how fears of a conflict are exaggerated was the “Great trip to China” from Secretary of State Antony Blinken. President Biden said that the secretary managed to have “positive” meetings with Xi and other Chinese officials. He added he doesn’t believe that the fact that he called Xi a “dictator” will have any “real consequence.”
Despite the president’s claims, different reports have said Blinken’s trip wasn’t a success as he failed to solve some of the most delicate national security issues related to China. The secretary even made some statements that favor the Chinese regime, including the claim that the Biden administration doesn’t support “Taiwan independence.”
The Chinese regime hasn’t talked with the Pentagon since August 2022, when then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan. The moment was historic as this was the first time since the 1990s that such a high-ranking US official visited the island.
While the president seems unconcerned about the state of relations with the Chinese regime, the Pentagon is worried because of its deterioration. The agency has been emphasizing the importance of reestablishing communications with Beijing to prevent misunderstandings that could lead to armed conflicts.
On June 3, China rejected a request from US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to meet with his Chinese counterpart Li Shangfu at the Shangri-La summit in Singapore. At that time, Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said that while both of them shook hands in front of everyone, they didn’t have any “substantive exchange.” He added that the Pentagon needed “open lines” with the Chinese regime as soon as possible.
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