Biden downplays calling Xi a ‘dictator,’ decries ‘hysteria’ over US-China relations

President Biden said Thursday that he doesn’t think that calling Chinese President Xi Jinping a dictator impacted the U.S.-China relationship.

“I don’t think it’s had any real consequence,” Biden said during remarks at the White House alongside Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Biden on Tuesday, while fundraising in Kentfield, Calif., said to a group of donors that Xi is a dictator who got “upset” when the Chinese spy balloon was shot down in February because he didn’t know about it. The Chinese government then reportedly summoned the U.S. ambassador to China for a quiet but official reprimand.

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Beijing on Wednesday bashed Biden’s description of Xi, calling it “extremely absurd and irresponsible.”

“When we’re talking to our allies and partners around the world, including India, we let the idea of my choosing and avoiding saying what I think is the facts with regards to the relationship … with China is just not something that I’m going to change very much,” Biden said. “I believe —and I’ve said this for some time — that the hysteria about the relationship with China is collapsing and moving, etc., etc.”

“We had an incident that caused some confusion, you might say,” he added, referring to the spy balloon being shot down in February.

When asked on Thursday if his comments at the fundraiser undermine or complicate the progress the Biden administration has had with China, he replied, “no, no.” And, he added that he expects to meet with Xi “sometime in the future.” The last time the two met one-on-one was in Bali in November.

The president also added Thursday that Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who was just in China, had “a great trip.” He previously praised Blinken this week for doing a good job in China to mend the U.S.-Chinese relationship.

Updated at 3:32 p.m.