Biden says 'xenophobia' behind economic woes in China, Japan, India
US President Biden says Beijing's economic slowdown and challenges of Tokyo, Moscow, and New Delhi largely stem from xenophobia and reluctance toward welcoming immigrants.
Biden, vocal against Trump's anti-immigrant stance, has actively pursued extensive economic and political ties with nations like Japan and India, aiming to counterbalance China and Russia on the global stage. / Photo: Reuters
US President Joe Biden has said that "xenophobia" from China to Japan and India is hobbling their growth, as he argued that migration has been good for the US economy.
"One of the reasons why our economy's growing is because of you and many others. Why? Because we welcome immigrants," Biden said on Wednesday at a Washington fundraising event for his 2024 re-election campaign and marking the start of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
"Why is China stalling so badly economically, why is Japan having trouble, why is Russia, why is India, because they're xenophobic. They don't want immigrants. Immigrants are what makes us strong."
Condemns anti-immigrant rhetoric
The International Monetary Fund forecast last month that each country would see its growth decelerate in 2024 from the year prior, ranging from 0.9 percent in highly developed Japan to 6.8 percent in emerging India.
They forecast that the United States would grow at 2.7 percent, slightly brisker than its 2.5 percent rate last year. Many economists attribute better-than-expected performance partly to migrants expanding the country's labour force.
Concern about irregular migration has become a top issue for many US voters ahead of November's presidential election.
Biden, who has condemned the rhetoric of his Republican opponent Donald Trump as anti-immigrant, has worked to court broad economic and political relations with countries including Japan and India to counter China and Russia globally.
Copyright © 2024 TRT World.