Treating him like weak sauce, yesterday’s news. What a great job he’s done for American strength and world relations!
BEIJING — President Obama tried to downplay talk of an orchestrated diplomatic snub by China on Sunday as leaders from the G-20 major world economies began a summit in the east Chinese city of Hangzhou.
Speaking ahead of the opening ceremony on Sunday afternoon, Obama said people should not “over-crank” a series of heated altercations between U.S. and Chinese officials in the 24 hours since he arrived in the communist country.
“I think this time maybe … the seams are showing a little more than usual in terms of some of the negotiations and jostling that takes place behind the scenes,” he said. “And, in fairness, when delegations travel to the United States, sometimes there are issues about our security procedures and protocols that they’re aggravated with but don’t always get reported on.”
Tensions over protocol began almost as soon as Air Force One touched down in Hangzhou on Saturday. No mobile staircase was prepared for the U.S. president to exit the front door of the plane, forcing him to leave via the lower back door, which has its own stairs.
He also was the only national leader not to be provided with red carpet on arrival.