Mike Johnson Slams Joe Biden For 'Projecting Weakness' After Meeting Xi Jinping: 'I Thought It Was Shameful'

House Speaker Mike Johnson took aim at President Joe Biden for “projecting weakness” in the aftermath of his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit.

What Happened: In an interview with "Cats and Cosby" host John Catsimatidis, Johnson expressed his displeasure with the way Biden handled his meeting with Xi in San Francisco, The Hill reported.

"Anyone who looks at this objectively has to agree that President Biden is projecting weakness on the world stage," Johnson said, stressing that such a projection of weakness tends to invite aggression.

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"I am from the [President] Reagan school. He always said we maintain peace through strength. He was exactly right."

"If you project weakness, you invite aggression. It's a dangerous time right now to be inviting aggression on our country," he said.

"That's why you see China, Iran, Russia, all of our adversaries around the world … being very provocative."

Johnson also voiced his disapproval of the tech CEOs who held a dinner for Xi on Thursday, condemning the warm reception given to the Chinese leader. "I thought it was shameful that we gave standing ovations … by these CEOs of tech companies to a communist leader of a nation that persecutes its own people," he said.

"[That's] causing havoc around the world, and is trying to be a peer-to-peer adversary with the United States. This is not a game."

Why It Matters: The meeting, which was part of the APEC Summit proceedings on Wednesday, included discussions on Taiwan policy and potential economic collaborations. The Chinese government subsequently criticized Biden for referring to Xi as a "dictator" in a press conference.

Johnson’s criticism comes at a time of strained relations between the U.S. and China, particularly over issues such as trade, human rights, and the ongoing situation in Taiwan. The meeting between Biden and Xi was seen as a significant event in the ongoing efforts to improve relations between the two nations.

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