The Global Times says treatment of the US president and his entourage at Hangzhou airport and the ‘tense atmosphere’ has been overblown

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

Barack Obama’s tumultuous arrival at the G20 in China was a “trifling” incident that has been sensationalised by the western media, a Chinese newspaper has suggested.



There were chaotic scenes at the Hangzhou international airport on Saturday afternoon as the United States president touched down for his final face-to-face meetings with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Barack Obama 'deliberately snubbed' by Chinese in chaotic arrival at G20 Read more

Chinese and American officials exchanged angry words with one local official castigating a White House staffer. “This is our country! This is our airport!” he shouted. A US secret service agent reportedly had to intervene after national security adviser Susan Rice became the focus of the official’s rage.

Meanwhile there was speculation - later denied by an anonymous Chinese government source - that Beijing had delivered a calculated diplomatic snub to Obama who, unlike other world leaders arriving for the G20, did not disembark from his aircraft on to a red-carpet-lined staircase.

“The US should know well what they have done to upset China,” Shen Dingli, an international relations expert from the prestigious Fudan University in Shanghai, told Singapore’s Straits Times, claiming that anger in Beijing over Washington’s criticism of its activities in the South China Sea might explain such a move.

Obama sought to play down the airport “kerfuffle” on Sunday hinting that his Chinese hosts might have found the size of the US delegation “a little overwhelming”.

On Monday, the Global Times, a Communist party controlled tabloid that sometimes echoes official views, offered its take on the airport saga.

“Western media has hyped up the incident, but Obama tried to play it down,” it said in an editorial.

“This makes us believe that the tense atmosphere between China and the US can be partly attributed to the western media, which often makes a fuss over trifling issues.”

The state-run newspaper said the episode would not eclipse US-China cooperation, adding: “Obama probably would not like to see undercurrents in Sino-US ties before he leaves office.”

Hua Chunying, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry, took an almost identical line on Monday afternoon, accusing foreign media of exaggerating “the trifling matter”.

Such behaviour would only deepen “the impression of arrogance and self righteous” that people felt towards the international press, Hua added.



Asked if Obama’s treatment had been a deliberate snub, the spokesperson said China had given “a warm and friendly” welcome to leaders from across the globe.

“The US has often claimed to be the number one [power] in the world, so how could it be so lacking in confidence [to think it was a snub]?” she added.



The Defense Intelligence Agency, a Pentagon spy agency, also chimed in on the airport kerfuffle on Sunday.

“Classy as always China,” read a tweet posted on the group’s verified account, linking to a New York Times article about the incident.

Mediaite (@Mediaite) Defense Intelligence Agency Apologizes for 'Classy as Always, China' Tweet https://t.co/4gKUYjymuT pic.twitter.com/OItAtdUb1C

The message was swiftly deleted but not before it was spotted by the Wall Street Journal.

“Earlier today, a tweet regarding a news article was mistakenly posted from this account & does not represent the views of the DIA. We apologize,” a subsequent post read.



On Sunday night G20 leaders gathered on the banks of Hangzhou’s West Lake for the summit’s welcome banquet and gala.



“The guests enjoyed a feast of classic Chinese music, folk dance, traditional songs and ballet performance - a blend of East and West cultures,” reported Xinhua, China’s official news agency.

As diners tucked into a main course of sweet and sour mandarin fish, an orchestra treated them to a medley of songs from around the world. The US contribution? The main theme from The Godfather, “Speak softly love”.

