China lodges complaint with Germany over Xi Jinping 'dictator' remarks

China has lodged a complaint with Germany after German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock referred to President Xi Jinping as a "dictator" during a live interview with Fox News. The Chinese foreign ministry called the remark "absurd" and an "open political provocation," stating that it infringed on China's political dignity. Baerbock has been an outspoken critic of China, previously stating that it poses a challenge to global coexistence. This incident follows U.S. President Joe Biden's similar characterization of Xi as a "dictator" during a visit to China by Secretary of State Antony Blinken.