Biden explains why Xi Jinping believes democracy cannot be sustained in China
Key Takeaways:
- According to Joe Biden, President Xi Jinping of China does not believe that democracy can be sustained in the twenty-first century because democracies do not have enough time to reach an agreement in fast-changing times.
President Joe Biden of the US stated that his Chinese counterpart, President Xi Jinping, does not believe that democracy can be sustained in the twenty-first century because democracies do not have enough time to reach a consensus in fast-changing times.
"I believe we are engaged in a genuine struggle among autocracies and democracies, and whether democracies can be sustained," Biden said.
President Xi, he continued, "does not believe democracy can be maintained in the twenty-first century because things move so quickly, technologies change so rapidly, democracies don't have time to reach a consensus, and autocracies will succeed."
On Friday, Biden held a virtual meeting with Xi to discuss Russia's invasion of Ukraine, during which the US President highlighted the views of the US and its allies and partners on the crisis. If China offers material support to Russia in its war against Ukraine and attacks on civilians, he warned of "implications and consequences."
Although China is one of the few countries that has not condemned Russia's aggression in Ukraine, its top diplomat in Washington has pledged that Beijing will "do" everything possible to de-escalate the conflict. On Sunday, Ambassador Qin Gang, who appeared on CBS's "Face the Nation," argued that condemnation does not solve the problem.
"[C]ondemnation, you realize, only hurts. We require wisdom. "We need to stand up for us, we need courage, and we require good diplomacy," the envoy said.
Meanwhile, as Russia wages war in Ukraine, Biden has added a stop in Poland to his Europe trip for talks with NATO as well as European allies. According to White House press secretary Jen Psaki, the leaders will describe international attempts to support Ukraine and impose severe and unprecedented expenses on Russia for its invasion.
"The President will examine how the United States, in collaboration with our allies and partners, is replying to the humanitarian as well as human rights crisis created by Russia's unjustified and unprovoked war on Ukraine," Psaki said during a statement.