US will not apologise for 'summit for democracy' says Jen Psaki amid tussle with Russia

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki stated that the US will not apologise for a forthcoming meeting of democratic nations that is solely focused on promoting democratic ideals worldwide. President Joe Biden will convene a democracy summit with leaders from around 110 countries, as per the reports of Yonhap. In a news conference, Psaki said that their goal with this summit is to bring together 110 governments from around the world, as well as civil society and corporate sector leaders, to explore how they can work together to promote and defend democracy.

She also stated that no matter what criticism they get from any country around the world, there is nothing they are going to apologise for. According to Yonhap, China and Russia, on the other hand, who are considered to be US competitors, have publicly condemned the scheduled gathering and labelled it as a source of world division.

The democratic summit will take place virtually next Thursday and Friday

The democratic summit will take place virtually next Thursday and Friday. Psaki also stated that an invitation to the virtual summit sponsored by the United States did not imply that the United States approved all of the countries invited, stressing that no democracy is perfect and that no democracy is ever finished, according to the White House. She continued by stating that this is just to include and invite a wide group of voices from around the world who can contribute to the global fight to defend democracy.

The Chinese Communist Party has responded by saying its system serves the country's people, citing the success in limiting the number of deaths from COVID-19. It also highlighted the failings of American democracy, citing the gun violence to the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol after the presidential election, according to AP News.

A pushback against authoritarianism and China's political system

Bonnie Glaser, a China expert and head of the Asia Program at the German Marshall Fund of the United States stated that the Chinese are accurate in interpreting the summit as a pushback against authoritarianism and China's political system, according to AP News. She further said that the Chinese Communist Party is likely concerned by Biden's democracy narrative.

(Inputs from AP News)

Image: AP