US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that the xenophobia of Japan and India is holding back their growth because the countries do not welcome immigrants. He made the remarks during an event for sponsors, where financial contributions were collected for the presidential campaign, reports Reuters.
According to the AP agency, the donors at the event were mostly Asian Americans. Biden said the upcoming US election is about “freedom, America and democracy” and that the nation’s economy is booming “thanks to you and so many others.”
“Why China is slowing down economically, why Japan is in trouble, why Russia, why India, because they are xenophobic. They don’t want immigrants. Immigrants are what make us strong,” the US president said, adding: “This is not a joke. That is not an exaggeration because we have an influx of workers who want to be here and want to contribute.”
Neither the Japanese nor the Indian government has yet responded to the statements. White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Biden was speaking broadly about the US’s stance on immigration.
“Our allies and partners know in a tangible way how much President Biden values them, their friendship, their cooperation and the capabilities they bring across the spectrum on a range of issues, not just security,” Kirby said Thursday morning.
