US President Biden’s indirect comparison of China’s head of state Xi with a dictator caused anger: According to the state and party leadership, the statement contradicted the facts and violated China’s dignity.
The US President’s comparison with dictators is “extremely absurd” and “irresponsible”. The spokeswoman for the Chinese leadership Mao Ning said in Beijing. Without repeating Joe Biden’s indirect dictator comparison, she explained that the statement contradicted the facts and violated China’s political dignity and diplomatic protocol.
US President Biden used the word “dictator” to describe China’s head of state and party leader Xi Jinping at a campaign event in California.
Xi is the most powerful head of state since Mao
Since taking office a decade ago, Xi has established a nationwide personality cult in China and silenced critics within the party or sent them to prison. Since a constitutional amendment, Xi can theoretically govern indefinitely. Foreign political scientists agree that Xi is the most powerful Chinese leader since Mao Zedong, the founder of the People’s Republic and long-time dictator of China.
In China there are no free elections, freedom of speech or freedom of the press, nor does there exist a separation of powers or the rule of law. The first paragraph of China’s constitution states that the country is a “socialist state under the people’s democratic dictatorship,” and “Sabotage of the socialist system is forbidden for any organization or individual.”
Head of state Xi Jinping is called “Zhuxi” in Chinese, which means “Chairman”. The Chinese word for president is not used in connection with Xi Jinping. He is formally head of the Communist Party – the most important office in China – as well as head of state and commander-in-chief of the military.