Chinese state-run newspaper The Global Times published an editorial defending President Joe Biden against House Republicans' impeachment inquiry.
The House of Representatives on Wednesday voted on party lines to formalize the impeachment inquiry into Biden following months of investigations into whether he benefited from his son's business dealings with China and Ukraine while he served as vice president from 2009 to 2017.
Republicans' probes into Biden have thus far failed to produce any evidence of wrongdoing. GOP lawmakers believe the formal inquiry will broaden their investigative authority into Hunter Biden's dealings and give them a stronger ability to enforce subpoenas. But Democrats have accused them of merely investigating him as payback for former President Donald Trump's two impeachments.
The Global Times, viewed as echoing the official positions of the Chinese government, weighed in on the impeachment inquiry in an editorial published Thursday night titled "Biden impeachment inquiry reflects prevailing US polarization, veto politics."
The editorial largely defended Biden, describing the inquiry as a "retaliatory move by the Republican Party" ahead of the 2024 election.
"With the US entering the major election cycle, and amid the dynamics of electoral politics, the Republican Party is determined to erode Biden's political standing and undermine the overall position of the Democratic Party. This is aimed at securing an advantage for the Republican Party in next year's presidential election and congressional elections," the editorial reads.
The piece suggested Republicans can use the impeachment inquiry to benefit ahead of next November, which may pit Biden against Trump, who is set to face several criminal trials before the election.
"Although Republicans are aware that the outcome is likely to result in nothing substantial if they can use this opportunity to tarnish Biden's reputation and create difficulties for him, especially among independent voters in the center, it would be considered a significant victory," The Global Times said.
Newsweek reached out to the White House and House Speaker Mike Johnson's office for comment via email.
The editorial comes just weeks after Biden met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in San Francisco and as the two countries have resumed military-to-military talks. Still, the relationship between Washington and Beijing remains contentious over issues including Taiwan, the economy and the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Biden responded to the impeachment inquiry in a statement earlier this week.
"Instead of doing their job on the urgent work that needs to be done, they are choosing to waste time on this baseless political stunt that even Republicans in Congress admit is not supported by facts," Biden said.
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