Open Microphone Reveals Biden's Comments on China
US President Joe Biden emphasized to Indo-Pacific leaders that China is “testing us all” with its “aggressive” policy. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
During a recent meeting with leaders from Indo-Pacific nations, US President Joe Biden was caught on a hot mic stating that China is “testing” Washington and its allies with its "aggressive" policy.
The comments were made on Saturday in Wilmington, Delaware, where Biden hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. This gathering was part of a summit focused on enhancing collaboration among the members of the informal Quad grouping, which includes Australia, India, Japan, and the US.
After the leaders made their opening statements in front of the press, Biden's remarks, intended for a private audience, were inadvertently picked up by microphones. He remarked that Chinese President Xi Jinping is “looking to buy himself some diplomatic space, in my view, to aggressively pursue China’s interest.” Biden further stated, “China continues to behave aggressively, testing us all across the region, and it’s true in the South China Sea, the East China Sea, South China, South Asia and the Taiwan Straits,” as reporters exited the event.
A senior official from the Biden administration attempted to minimize the significance of these remarks, asserting that there was no need for further explanation. “I don’t think it’ll be much of a surprise that our inside voice matches our outside voice,” the official stated.
While the Quad leaders did not explicitly mention China in their joint declaration, they expressed concerns about Beijing's increasing influence in the region. China is involved in contentious territorial disputes in both the South China Sea and the East China Sea.
In response to the Quad, China has referred to the alliance as an “Asia-Pacific version of NATO,” suggesting that its purpose is to “pursue regional deterrence” and establish itself as the “dominant mechanism for cooperation” in the Indo-Pacific, thereby limiting Chinese influence. Additionally, Beijing has accused the US-led group of instigating Japan and South Korea to interfere in what it describes as “China’s internal affairs” concerning the South China Sea and the Taiwan Straits.
Emily Johnson contributed to this report for TROIB News
The comments were made on Saturday in Wilmington, Delaware, where Biden hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. This gathering was part of a summit focused on enhancing collaboration among the members of the informal Quad grouping, which includes Australia, India, Japan, and the US.
After the leaders made their opening statements in front of the press, Biden's remarks, intended for a private audience, were inadvertently picked up by microphones. He remarked that Chinese President Xi Jinping is “looking to buy himself some diplomatic space, in my view, to aggressively pursue China’s interest.” Biden further stated, “China continues to behave aggressively, testing us all across the region, and it’s true in the South China Sea, the East China Sea, South China, South Asia and the Taiwan Straits,” as reporters exited the event.
A senior official from the Biden administration attempted to minimize the significance of these remarks, asserting that there was no need for further explanation. “I don’t think it’ll be much of a surprise that our inside voice matches our outside voice,” the official stated.
While the Quad leaders did not explicitly mention China in their joint declaration, they expressed concerns about Beijing's increasing influence in the region. China is involved in contentious territorial disputes in both the South China Sea and the East China Sea.
In response to the Quad, China has referred to the alliance as an “Asia-Pacific version of NATO,” suggesting that its purpose is to “pursue regional deterrence” and establish itself as the “dominant mechanism for cooperation” in the Indo-Pacific, thereby limiting Chinese influence. Additionally, Beijing has accused the US-led group of instigating Japan and South Korea to interfere in what it describes as “China’s internal affairs” concerning the South China Sea and the Taiwan Straits.
Emily Johnson contributed to this report for TROIB News
