Former Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday refused to call Chinese President Xi Jinping a “dictator,” instead claiming that President Joe Biden and Xi Jinping have “very good relations.”

Mr. Biden recently further strengthened his claims Assertion Xi is a dictator. Mr Biden said Xi was “extremely upset” that the Chinese spy balloon had been shot down and said it was “a great embarrassment to the dictator” because Chinese leaders were unaware of the balloon’s existence.

Kelly testified about the State Department’s climate budget and was asked if Mr. Xi was a dictator.

“Is he a de facto dictator?” asked California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa.

“I don’t think there’s any point in entering. No, I’m not going to—”

“But he has the power of—” Issa said before Kelly interjected.

“There is no doubt he wields tremendous power as the leader of China, and everyone understands that. But I don’t like—”

“Do you wish the president had used a different word?” Issa asked. (Related article: ‘Overt Political Provocation’: Biden hits deal with China after ‘dictator’ remarks)

“No, I don’t. Frankly, I think they’re all like water off a duck’s back and shouldn’t get caught up in labels, names, etc. What we should do What we’re trying to do is look at the heart of what we’re trying to do: Right now Biden actually has a very good relationship with President Xi, and President Xi does vice versa. I think I respect our relationship with the United States, and both I and I have seen Secretary Brinken’s visit to China, and Janet Yellen’s subsequent visit to China, as seen in her own public statements and assessments. I believe we had a candid conversation, but efforts to stabilize and avoid disputes due to unintended consequences or mistakes are well underway.”

China’s foreign ministry called Biden’s “dictatorship” remarks “a grave disregard for basic facts, a grave violation of diplomatic protocol, and a grave violation of China’s political dignity,” and called it “an overt political provocation.” It hits,” he claimed.