In a recent address, US President Joe Biden stirred controversy by describing US allies Japan and India as “xenophobic,” placing them in the same category as Russia and China, countries that “don’t want immigrants.”
These remarks come at a time when the US is working to strengthen its alliances with these nations.
Just weeks before his comments,
Biden had referred to the US-Japan relationship as “unbreakable” during a state visit from Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Similarly, India is a critical partner for the US, despite ongoing concerns about human rights and religious freedoms in the country.
Addressing an Asian-American audience at a campaign fundraiser, Biden spoke about the importance of the upcoming US elections.
He said, “The election this November is about freedom, America, and democracy.”
He added, “Why? Because we welcome immigrants.
Think about it.
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.”
The White House has since clarified that Biden meant no disrespect to either Japan or India, emphasizing that he was making a broader point about US immigration policy.
National Security spokesman John Kirby stated that the President values US allies and partnerships deeply.
“Our allies and partners know well in tangible ways how President Biden values them, their friendship, their cooperation,” Kirby said.
Biden’s remarks have faced criticism from within the US.
Elbridge Colby, a former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, tweeted that Japan and India are among the US’s “stoutest and most important allies.”
He added that “we should speak to them with respect, which they command and deserve.”
Analysts suggest that Biden’s comments may not sit well in India, where there’s a “nationalist upsurge.”
Sadanand Dhume, a South Asia expert at the Washington DC-based American Enterprise Institute, told the BBC that these remarks might “confirm the idea among a section of Indians that Mr. Biden is not friendly to India.”
However, Dhume later added that this controversy is likely a “tempest in a teacup” and “unlikely to significantly affect US-Indian relations.”
The criticism comes amidst broader international scrutiny of India’s human rights record.
A recent US Department of State report noted “significant” human rights abuses in India, which its government dismissed as biased and lacking an understanding of the country’s context.
Meanwhile, Japan has historically had strict immigration policies but has started to relax them to address its declining population.
Russia, although heavily reliant on migrant labor, has rebounded economically amid its ongoing war with Ukraine, defying international sanctions.
Biden’s comments reflect a complex landscape of international relations and shifting attitudes toward immigration, highlighting the delicate balance between addressing domestic concerns and maintaining strong alliances.