Hot mic reveals Biden stance on China
Date
9/24/2024 8:42:25 AM
(MENAFN) United States President Joe Biden was caught making candid remarks about China during a recent meeting with leaders from Japan, India, and Australia, highlighting growing concerns about Beijing's assertive actions in the Indo-Pacific. The meeting, held in Wilmington, Delaware, included Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and focused on enhancing cooperation among the informal Quad alliance.
As the leaders concluded their opening statements before the press, Biden's comments were unintentionally broadcasted, revealing his thoughts on Chinese President Xi Jinping's diplomatic maneuvers. Biden expressed that Xi appears to be "looking to buy himself some diplomatic space" to pursue China's interests more aggressively. He emphasized that China is "testing us all across the region," referring to various contentious areas, including the South China Sea, the East China Sea, South Asia, and the Taiwan Straits.
In response to the fallout from the hot mic incident, a senior official from the Biden administration sought to mitigate any potential backlash, asserting that there was no need for further clarification on the president's comments. The official remarked that the administration's "inside voice matches our outside voice," suggesting consistency in their approach to China.
While the Quad leaders did not specifically name China in their joint declaration, they did express concern about Beijing's increasing influence in the region, particularly in light of China's ongoing territorial disputes in the South China Sea and the East China Sea. The incident underscores the delicate balancing act that the Quad nations must navigate as they address security concerns posed by China's assertiveness while striving to maintain diplomatic channels.
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