China says comments by Joe Biden describing its leader Xi Jinping as a dictator are “extremely absurd and irresponsible”.
The latest clash comes right after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken concluded a visit to Beijing that had sought to break the ice in what has become an increasingly strained international relationship.
Issues such as the spy balloon that floated over the US and collected data from military sites and the revelation of secret Chinese so-called police stations on American soil have worsened diplomatic ties in recent months.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said President Biden’s comments at a fundraiser in California “go totally against facts and seriously violate diplomatic protocol, and severely infringe on China’s political dignity.”
“It is a blatant political provocation,” Ms Mao said at a daily briefing.
“China expresses strong dissatisfaction and opposition.”
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Anthony Blinken met Xi Jinping in Beijing
President Biden, at the fundraiser on Tuesday, said that President Xi was embarrassed over the recent tensions surrounding the spy balloon that had been shot down by the air force over the east coast.
“That’s a great embarrassment for dictators. When they didn’t know what happened,” he said.
Ms Mao reiterated China’s contention that the balloon was intended for meteorological research and had been blown off course accidentally.
“The US should have handled it in a calm and professional manner,” she said.
“However, the US distorted facts and used forces to hype up the incident, fully revealing its nature of bullying and hegemony.”
The balloon incident caused an international row and delayed Mr Blinken’s visit by several months.
Worsening relations? Biden and Xi pictured when they met in November 2022
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In recent days, the US says Chinese warplanes and naval ships have maneuvered in threatening ways to their American counterparts in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea, despite agreements between them on protocols for avoiding such incidents.
After meeting with President Xi on Monday, Mr Blinken acknowledged entrenched differences.
“We have no illusions about the challenges of managing this relationship. There are many issues on which we profoundly, even vehemently, disagree,” he said.