Joe Biden has been on an embarrassing tour overseas. First, he went to COP 27 in Egypt and apologized for the U.S. pulling out of the Paris Agreement under President Donald Trump — a good move — that Biden has now rejected. He was howled at by protesters and then lost another fight with his teleprompter during his speech. Then Biden went on to Cambodia, delivered remarks sounding about 100 years old, and mistakenly called the prime minister of Cambodia the “prime minister for Colombia,” the second time he’s made that same mistake.
But on Monday, Biden was in Bali, Indonesia for the G20 and he met with China’s leader, Xi Jinping. The greeting said it all about who appeared to have the power in the exchange. Xi stood while making Joe Biden walk to him, Xi didn’t even meet him halfway. And Biden did it with his hand out. That pretty much said it all right there, it cried “weakness” and loss of face.
Biden is smiling like he’s meeting his best friend, not a country that has threatened us, threatened our allies, and lied about COVID. Joe’s response says, “I’m desperate” for a win of some kind. It didn’t look like the face of someone who intends to hold China over the coals for their bad behavior.
Here’s the White House readout of what Biden allegedly said to Xi. Notice it says nothing at all about COVID.
Here’s some video where Biden has to read from notes just to make some basic perfunctory remarks about things like “climate changes.” Yes, he did make it plural. He made it seem like there were no real issues and didn’t show any strength in the remarks.
Xi responded that the relationship was facing challenges. That would have been more appropriate for Biden to say to China since China has been in the wrong here. But it wasn’t Biden who appeared to be pressing the issues.
Biden then made remarks about the U.S. elections. He acted as if the Democrats had won.
He then claimed that China wasn’t an enemy or an adversary, but just another competitor, not holding them to account for what they’ve done.
Biden then was going to take questions from reporters about the meeting. But he had problems from the outset, having trouble reading the notes he’d been given.
He said he’d been told there were four questions and he made it clear he didn’t intend to take any more questions.
Biden said he didn’t think there was an imminent threat to Taiwan from China.
Vladimir Putin sized up Biden after his failed withdrawal from Afghanistan and lifting sanctions on Nord Stream 2 and found him wanting, so Putin invaded Ukraine. Let’s hope that Xi isn’t seeing that same weakness and is evaluating differently.
Biden did end up taking a fifth question from NBC’s Peter Alexander but then he said he shouldn’t even do that like he was violating the dictates of his masters.
This exchange should have been different and Biden should have been showing more strength. Unfortunately, yet again, he is constantly projecting weakness. If you’re not going to stand up on behalf of the millions who suffered from COVID, then you have no business pretending like you’re the leader of this nation.
