New Zealand PM Chris Hipkins disagrees with Biden, says Xi Jinping is not a 'dictator'
President Joe Biden on Tuesday called Xi Jinping a dictator, in off-the-cuff remarks made a day after his secretary and top US diplomat Antony Blinken visited Beijing to stabilize bilateral relations and try to ease tensions between the two countries
Chris Hipkins speaks to members of the media, after being confirmed as the only nomination to replace Jacinda Ardern as leader of the Labour Party, outside New Zealand's parliament in Wellington, New Zealand. Reuters
Ahead of his visit to China, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins dismissed US President Joe Biden’s claim that Xi Jinping is a “dictator”.
“No, and the form of government that China has is a matter for the Chinese people,” Hipkins said.
Asked by a reporter whether the Chinese people had a say in the form of government, Hipkins said: “If they wanted to change their system of government, then that would be a matter for them.”
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, ahead of his official trip to China at end of this month, said he did not agree with US President Joe Biden’s remark that Chinese leader Xi Jinping was a dictator https://t.co/ozXx6AJYAl pic.twitter.com/JBotwjht9P
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— Reuters (@Reuters) June 22, 2023
The Kiwi leader is expected to leave for China from June 25 to 30 where he will discuss trade delegations with Chinese authorities. He will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping,
Premier Li Qiang, and the chairman of the standing committee of the National People’s Congress, Zhao Leji.
China hit back on Wednesday after Biden referred to President Xi Jinping as a “dictator”, saying the remarks were absurd and a provocation, an unexpected flare-up following attempts by both sides to reduce friction.
President Joe Biden on Tuesday called Xi Jinping a dictator, in off-the-cuff remarks made a day after his secretary and top US diplomat Antony Blinken visited Beijing to stabilize bilateral relations and try to ease tensions between the two countries.
Antony Blinken became the first top US diplomat to visit China in five years, and his trip was in the shadow of Covid-19, Taiwan tensions, and the controversy related to the ‘spy balloon’ episode.
Biden also said Xi was very embarrassed when a suspected Chinese spy balloon was blown off course over US airspace early this year, making a personal comment on the Chinese leader when Blinken said on Monday the “chapter” should be closed.
Even after Joe Biden compared China’s leader to embarrassed “dictators,” the White House stated on Wednesday that it had “every expectation” that the senior US diplomat’s recent visit to Beijing will result in improved relations.
A senior administration official said on Wednesday that US State Secretary Antony Blinken “made some progress” during a long-awaited visit to China.
“We have every expectation of building on that progress,” the official said.
With inputs from Reuters
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