China ‘strongly condemns’ car attack on San Francisco consulate, urges US to ‘seriously handle’ matter
- Beijing has made ‘solemn representations’ to the US side after a car crashed into the Chinese consulate in San Francisco
- Both sides need to proceed with caution on the matter, so that efforts to set up a Xi-Biden summit in the US are not scuttled, observers say
The attack came amid growing expectations for a meeting between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping when the Californian city hosts the annual Apec summit next month.
The Chinese consulate said it “strongly condemns this violent attack and reserves the right to pursue accountability for the incident”.
It had made “solemn representations” to the US side, requesting a prompt investigation and serious punishment in accordance with the law, the statement added.
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Observers said both sides would need to proceed with caution as this kind of unexpected incident, if not handled properly, might cast doubts on efforts to stabilise ties and scuttle efforts for an imminent Xi-Biden meeting.