In a recent outburst that has sparked considerable backlash, U.S. President Joe Biden labeled nations like the Chinese mainland, India, Japan, and Russia as \"xenophobic,\" attributing their economic challenges to a reluctance to welcome immigrants.
\"You know, one of the reasons why our economy is growing is because of you and many others. Why? Because we welcome immigrants. We look to – the reason – look, think about it – why is the Chinese mainland stalling so badly economically? Why is Japan having trouble? Why is Russia? Why is India? Because they're xenophobic. They don't want immigrants,\" Biden said at a Washington D.C. fundraiser, according to an official White House transcript released Thursday.
Such demented and delusional comments not only oversimplify complex global dynamics but also reflect a profound ignorance of historical and current realities. They are particularly jarring when juxtaposed against the U.S.-led West's own tumultuous history of racism, slavery, ethnic cleansing, large-scale genocide of native populations in the Americas and Australasia, and colonial atrocities.
Before pointing fingers, it would behoove the U.S. to reflect on its own past and current issues. The irony of these accusations, coming from a leader of a country with such a checkered history, is palpable. All the countries that Biden named have demonstrably better track records in several of these aspects.
Biden's sweeping generalization betrays a lack of understanding of global migration patterns, which historically see movements from poorer to richer nations.
Civilizational Legacy of China and India
The Chinese mainland and India have historically been among the two most affluent and populous regions in the world. While these two civilizational states experienced a period of relative decline from the 18th to the 20th century during the rise of Western colonization and industrialization, this era is often viewed as a mere aberration by those who take a long-term perspective on history. Over the past few decades, both nations have experienced phenomenal growth and are rapidly reclaiming their historic positions as major global powers.
Reference(s):
Biden's misguided 'xenophobia' claims reveal historical ignorance
cgtn.com
