US President Joe Biden, who concluded a key summit
with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, referred the latter as a ‘dictator’.
Biden’s remark came in response to question if he still considers Xi a ‘dictator’.
“Well, look, he is,” commented Biden.
“He is a dictator in the sense that he is a guy who
runs a country that is communist,” Biden explained, adding that the Chinese Government
“is totally different than ours.”
Meanwhile, the US-China Summit meeting concluded at a
sprawling mansion in California with Presidents Biden and Jinping consenting to
work towards ensuring that the differences between the two nations remain
manageable and the relations do not derail.
The discussions, as per a senior administration
official, were frank and candid. Biden was able to convey his views and
concerns directly to Xi, who is understood to have responded with his own set
of arguments, reported news agency PTI.
During the meeting, the two leaders were able to
discuss a series of issues including bilateral ties, regional and key global
issues like Iran, the Middle East, Ukraine, Taiwan, the Indo-Pacific, economic
issues, artificial intelligence, drugs, and climate change.
Following the meeting, China agreed to act against
companies that engage in illegal drug trade in US, according to a senior
administration official.
The two leaders agreed on the resumption of
military-to-military level talks with Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and his
Chinese counterpart taking the lead, while the PACIFIC Commander has
operational-level engagement with his counterparts in China, he said.
The two leaders agreed to ‘pick each other’s calls’.
“We should pick up the phone and call one another and
we’ll take the call. That’s important progress,” Biden said at a news
conference following the talks.
NE Watch Desk
