Why Biden referred to Xi Jinping as a dictator: Insights from an expert

Moscow, June 21 – US President Joe Biden’s words that Chinese President Xi Jinping is a “dictator” are a game for the public in light of the US politician’s presidential election campaign. Such rhetoric will help him attract voters, a researcher at the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies. Speaking to the News Agency, Research Fellow, School of World Economics and International Affairs, National Research University, Higher School of Economics, Lev Sokolchik.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry protested against Biden’s words describing Xi Jinping as a dictator. Commenting on Biden’s statements regarding the leader of the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that the statements of the American side are irresponsible, violate diplomatic etiquette, and are an open political provocation.

Earlier, the US president, referring to a balloon incident in the sky over the United States, called China’s leader a dictator, Reuters reported. At the same time, just a day earlier, the US leader said that relations between Washington and Beijing are “on the right track” and that the meeting between Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and the Chinese president led to progress.

For Biden and his administration, at least at the ideological level, at the level of describing the world, everything is divided into good and bad, into the good guys of the Americans, their allies, and the bad guys. Everyone, including China and its leader Xi Jinping, is a representative of the autocracy with which the United States will compete and fight. A narrative that is well received in the West perfectly matches the mood of certain segments of the electorate, so this pressure is in line with the election campaign, “the expert said.

He added that this logic of Biden’s thinking is consistent with the concept of US foreign policy, where “there is an idea, somewhat simplistic, that world politics is a competition between democracy and authoritarianism.”

Sokolchik indicated that Blinken’s attempts to draw the attention of the Chinese side during his visit to Beijing became an indication of Washington’s weak position in these negotiations, which Biden is trying to compensate with “strong statements.” “Beijing refused to communicate through the military departments, and coordinated a meeting with Blinken for a very long time, lasting only 35 minutes… In order to soften this vulnerable position, strong statements were actually launched aimed at an internal audience.”

According to the expert, “American foreign policy is hostage to domestic politics,” as this tendency was observed in the policy of the former head of the White House, Donald Trump, in his confrontation with Russia. He stressed that “domestic political priorities are at the fore. And the internal political conflict largely determines foreign policy, which is very dangerous.”

There are a number of contradictions between Washington and Beijing, such as the Taiwan issue, the US intention to deploy nuclear submarines in South Korea, and territorial disputes between Japan and China, the US ally in the region, so it is too early. To talk about any positive changes, said the expert.

He concluded by saying, “These relations are developing in the mainstream of competition and confrontation. Thus, they will develop in many factors.”