U.S. President Joe Biden described China on Thursday as a "ticking time bomb" due to its economic challenges, indicating that it is suffering from problems related to weak growth. Speaking at a fundraising event in Utah, he stated, "They have some problems. This is not good because when bad people face problems, they do bad things."
Biden believes that "China is in a bind," adding that he does not wish to harm China but rather wants a rational relationship with it. On Wednesday, Biden signed an executive order banning certain new American investments in China regarding sensitive technologies such as computer chips. China, which has the second-largest economy in the world, expressed serious concern and stated that it reserves the right to take actions it deems necessary.
Biden's remarks recall comments he made during a previous fundraising campaign in June when he referred to Chinese President Xi Jinping as a "dictator." China described these statements as provocative. The comments come shortly after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to China, aimed at stabilizing relations that Beijing has described as being at their lowest since diplomatic relations were established in 1979.
