From the spy balloon to the meeting in Beijing: the clashes between China and the US during the Biden administration

The calm lasts little between USA and China. If the battered diplomatic relationship between the two countries seemed to have made progress after the recent visit of the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, to Beijing, Joe Biden’s subsequent statements pointed in the opposite direction.

LOOK: China censures Biden for comparing Xi Jinping to “dictators”

During a reception Tuesday in California with donors from his party, the US president equated his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, with “dictators”, drawing the ire of Beijing, which called the comments “ridiculous”.

It’s very embarrassing for dictators when they don’t know what happened”Biden said on Tuesday the 20th when referring to the recent crisis in which USA shot down a Chinese balloon that he thought was a spy.

His statements came The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, completed a two-day visit to Beijing on Monday the 19th, the first by a US Foreign Minister in almost five years.

“This comment from the US side is really ridiculous, very irresponsible and does not reflect reality (…) It is an open political provocation”said Mao Ning, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Below, we recall the clearest moments of tension between China and the United States during the Biden government.

– The spy balloon

The case to which Joe Biden referred when he called Xi Jinping a “dictator” dates back to February when Washington reported that alleged spy balloons flew over US territory for several days.

This photo by Chase Doak taken on February 1, 2023 shows an alleged Chinese spy balloon in the sky over Billings, Montana, United States. (AFP). (CHASE DOAK/)

Beijing apologized, but said it had been misplaced and is used for meteorological purposes, not espionage.

Despite this, Biden sent a strong warning to the Asian giant. “Yes Chinese threatens our sovereignty, we will act to protect our country.”said the democrat last February.

Following the warning, China’s foreign ministry said it will “firmly uphold China’s sovereignty, security and development interests.”

– Clandestine police stations

In mid-April, China and the United States added a new disagreement when it was learned that the New York authorities carried out an operation with arrests aimed at clandestine police stations run from China in the heart of New York.

The Americans Lu Jianwang, 61, and Chen Jinping, 59, were arrested on suspicion of being involved in the operations in those establishments in the heart of Chinatown, in Manhattan.

Brooklyn federal prosecutor Breon Peace detailed that Lu and Chen opened and maintained the illegal police station under orders from the Chinese National Police. Located in an area of ​​Lower Manhattan filled with restaurants, electronics stores and other businesses, the office’s goal was allegedly to help track down and harass Chinese dissidents residing in New York.

The alleged Chinese police station was located in an office building in the heart of bustling Chinatown. (Photo: AFP)

The office was not registered as required by the US government and offered services such as renewing Chinese-issued driver’s licenses.

The detainees admitted to deleting communications with Chinese police officials from their phones after learning about the FBI investigation, prosecutors said. Both are accused of conspiring to act as foreign agents and obstruction of justice.

The prosecution also charged another 34 alleged Chinese police officers with leading a “massive campaign” on social media in which they carried out acts through fake profiles to harass and discredit Chinese dissidents in the United States.

– Clashes by TikTok

In May, the new sources of tension between Washington and Beijing were the TikTok video application and a law that affects Chinese citizens in the United States.

In the cold state of Montana, Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed the toughest law against TikTok that has been adopted so far in the United States.

Basically, the state decided to completely ban the popular video application and announced fines of $10,000 per day for each day that the measure is not complied with. The rule goes far beyond the restrictions in force in other states, where the use of TikTok to public officials.

The TikTok logo reflected in an image of the United States flag. (Photo by Stefani Reynolds / AFP) (STEFANI REYNOLDS /)

The rule, which will go into effect next year, has given rise to several court battles. For example, five Montana TikTok creators have already filed a lawsuit in federal court arguing that the ban is illegal and violates free speech rights.

And not only that. Also in May, TikTok filed a lawsuit in US federal court to prevent Montana from implementing a total ban on the social video network in that state.

– Military exercises near Taiwan

In recent months, the US government has been involved in fierce disputes with China over the status of Taiwan and human rights on the self-governing island that Beijing claims as part of its territory.

The tension around taiwan it is critical after the military maneuvers in Beijing last year and in 2023 around the island.

Source: Elcomercio