Chinese Foreign Ministry Slams Trump for Calling Xi Jinping 'Killer'

BEIJING (Sputnik) - Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian described as "absurd" the statements by former US President Donald Trump, who accused Chinese President Xi Jinping of being "a killer."

In an interview on Fox News broadcast on Sunday, Trump called Xi "a killer," while claiming that they had a good relationship until COVID-19 struck.

"In order to attract attention to themselves, certain hypocritical politicians make such absurd and completely meaningless statements in pursuit of cheap drama," Zhao said at a briefing, adding that such pronouncements should be condemned and rejected.

Trump did not gain much popularity in China as his presidency was marked by trade disputes with Beijing, as well as holding China responsible for the global COVID-19 pandemic at the tail end of his term.