Prognosis
Biden Says He Hopes to Meet Xi Again in Next Several Months
- US president’s comments coincide with Blinken trip to Beijing
- Says alleged spy balloon was more embarrassing than intent
President Joe Biden, right, and Xi Jinping meet in Bali in November 2022.
Photographer: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images
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President Joe Biden said he hopes to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping within the next few months and suggested China’s leaders weren’t aware of details surrounding an alleged spy balloon the US shot down in February.
“China has some legitimate difficulties unrelated to the United States,” Biden told reporters on Saturday. “I think one of the things that balloon caused was not so much that it got shot down. But I don’t think that the leadership knew where it was or knew what was in it and knew what was going on.”