White House Downplays Biden’s ‘Ticking Time Bomb’ Remark on China
- Comments threaten to undo months of delicate diplomacy
- Spokesman says comment consistent with US criticism of China
President Joe Biden
Photographer: Ramsay De Give/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The White House pushed back on suggestions that President Joe Biden is toughening his rhetoric on China, a day after he called the world’s second-largest economy a “ticking time bomb,” saying the remarks were consistent with US criticisms of Beijing.
“The president is referring to the domestic challenges that China has at home, and some of those are on the economic front. And some of those are on the social and cultural front,” said US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters Friday.