Secretary of State Antony Blinken affirmed the United States' commitment to expressing viewpoints that may not align with China's preferences, standing by President Joe Biden's recent characterization of Chinese leader Xi Jinping as a "dictator." Biden's forthright label was uttered following their first face-to-face meeting in over a year during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco, as reported by PTI.
In response to inquiries about whether Biden's comments reflected the official stance of the U.S. government, Blinken emphasized that the president "speaks for all of us," according to CBS News. The Secretary of State acknowledged the evident disparities between the two countries' systems, stating, "It's not exactly a secret that we have two very different systems."
Undeterred by potential diplomatic repercussions, Blinken asserted that the U.S. would persist in expressing opinions and taking actions that may be unpopular with China. He noted the expectation that China would reciprocate in kind. This stance underscores the ongoing tension between the two nations, with China expressing objections to Biden's previous characterization.
In an interview with NBC News, Blinken reiterated the divergence in systems between the U.S. and China, emphasizing President Biden's candid communication style as representative of the nation. Despite the diplomatic friction, Blinken underscored the importance of the discussions, stating, "What's important is what we were able to achieve with yesterday's meeting."
Similarly, in an interview with ABC News, Blinken defended Biden's candidness, emphasizing the concrete results produced by the summit. He acknowledged the complexity of the U.S.-China relationship, characterizing it as the most consequential and noting the need to manage competition to prevent it from escalating into conflict. The Secretary of State's comments reflect a commitment to candid communication while navigating the challenges and opportunities in the U.S.-China relationship.
