Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy has revealed that 'heated and physical clashes' occurred on the sidelines of the bilateral discussions between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. In a series of interviews, Doocy described a 'very physical standoff' between Chinese police and US Secret Service personnel at the backdoors of one event, where a Secret Service officer was prevented from carrying his weapon.
Press Access Hindered
American journalists faced significant obstacles during the summit. The press pool was temporarily blocked from accessing the Temple of Heaven, and a Fox News reporter was mistakenly ordered onto a bus that departed with only him and the driver. These incidents added to the tension surrounding the high-level meeting.
Incidents Involving Delegation Members
An unidentified White House aide was reportedly trampled by Chinese reporters during one of Trump's sit-downs with Xi, resulting in bruising and frustration among the US delegation. The security precautions taken by the US delegation, such as collecting all Chinese-issued badges and burner phones before leaving Beijing, highlighted the underlying adversarial nature of the relationship between the two nations.
The physical clashes and logistical issues underscore the challenges of diplomatic engagements between the United States and China, even at the highest levels. The incidents have raised questions about the security and protocol arrangements for future summits.
