KENTFIELD, California/BEIJING - China hit back on Wednesday after US President Joe Biden referred to President Xi Jinping as a “dictator”, saying the remarks were absurd and a provocation, in an unexpected spat immediately following efforts by both sides to lower tensions.

Mr Biden’s comments came just a day after top US diplomat Antony Blinken visited Beijing to stabilise bilateral relations that China says are at their lowest point since formal ties were established.

Attending a fund-raiser in California, Mr Biden said Mr Xi was very embarrassed when a suspected Chinese spy balloon was blown off course over US airspace early in 2023, making a personal comment on the Chinese leader when Mr Blinken said on Monday the “chapter” should be closed.

“The reason why Xi Jinping got very upset in terms of when I shot that balloon down with two box cars full of spy equipment in it was he didn’t know it was there,” said Mr Biden.

“That’s a great embarrassment for dictators. When they didn’t know what happened. That wasn’t supposed to be going where it was. It was blown off course,” he added.

It was unclear why Mr Biden made the comments on Mr Xi – China’s most powerful leader since Mao Zedong – after he secured a precedent-breaking third term as president and head of the Communist Party.  

Mr Biden also said that China “has real economic difficulties”.

Expressing China’s strong dissatisfaction, Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said Mr Biden’s comments seriously violated facts, diplomatic protocol and China’s political dignity. 

“They’re an open political provocation,” she told a news conference. Asked how aware Mr Xi had been about the balloon’s movements, Ms Mao reiterated China’s previous explanation that the passage of the balloon through US airspace had been unintended and caused by circumstances beyond its control.

“Biden’s big mouth is a loose cannon,” said Professor Wu Xinbo, director of the Centre for American Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai. 

“Mutual trust is what China has been stressing, so Biden’s comments are very destructive and damaging,” Prof Wu said, adding that the remarks may not totally undo what Mr Blinken had achieved on his China visit.

Mr Blinken and Mr Xi on Monday agreed in their meeting to stabilise the intense rivalry between Washington and Beijing so it does not veer into conflict, but failed to produce any major breakthrough during a rare visit to China by the US Secretary of State. They did agree to continue diplomatic engagement with more visits by US officials in the coming weeks and months.

Mr Biden said later on Tuesday that US climate envoy John Kerry may go to China soon.

Mr Biden said on Monday that he thought relations between the two countries were on the right path, and he indicated that progress was made during Mr Blinken’s trip. 

On Tuesday, the US President said Mr Xi had been concerned by the so-called Quad strategic security group, which comprises Japan, Australia, India and the United States.

Mr Biden said he previously told Mr Xi that the US was not trying to encircle China with the Quad. 

“He called me and told me not to do that because it was putting him in a bind,” added Mr Biden. 

“He called me and told me not to do that because it was putting him in a bind,” added Mr Biden.

Later this week, Mr Biden will meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and China is expected to be a topic of discussion between the two leaders. REUTERS, AFP