New Zealand's prime minister said on Thursday he disagrees with US President Joe Biden's equating Chinese leader Xi Jinping with "dictators", ahead of a visit to Beijing next week.
New Zealand PM says Xi Jinping not 'dictator' after Biden comment
Asked whether he agreed with Biden's assessment of the Chinese leader, Chris Hipkins said “no,” adding that “the form of government that China has is a matter for the Chinese people.”
Hipkins will meet Xi next week when he leads a trade delegation to China, the first visit by a New Zealand leader since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Xi has led China since 2013, maintaining an iron grip on power by eliminating rivals and banning even the most modest forms of dissent.
