Biden Attributes Economic Struggles of China, Japan, Russia, and India to 'Xenophobia'

On May 2, 2024, U.S. President Joe Biden attributed the economic struggles of China, Japan, Russia, and India to their "xenophobia" and reluctance to welcome immigrants. Speaking at a Washington fundraising event for his 2024 re-election campaign, which also marked the start of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Biden contrasted the stance of these countries with the U.S.'s economic growth, crediting it to the nation's openness to immigration.

Biden argued that immigrants are what make the U.S. economy strong, stating, "One of the reasons why our economy's growing is because of you and many others. Why? Because we welcome immigrants." He further criticized the other countries, saying they are "stalling so badly economically" because they are "xenophobic" and "don't want immigrants."

The president's remarks come as the International Monetary Fund forecasts economic growth deceleration in China, Japan, Russia, and India compared to the U.S. in 2024. The IMF projects the U.S. will grow at 2.7% in 2024, slightly higher than its 2.5% rate in the previous year, with many economists attributing this better-than-expected performance partly to a growing labor force due to migration.

Why this matters: Biden's comments highlight the ongoing debate about the role of immigration in economic growth and the contrasting approaches taken by major global economies. The remarks also come at a time when concern about irregular migration has become a top issue for many U.S. voters ahead of the 2024 presidential election.

Biden reiterated similar comments he had made the previous month linking China's economic woes to its unwillingness to accept immigration. This time, he also included Russia and longstanding ally Japan in his criticisms, which could raise concerns in Tokyo, especially given the recent "significant upgrade" to the U.S.-Japan defense ties to counter China's actions in the Indo-Pacific region. The president has worked to court broad economic and political relations with countries like Japan and India while countering China and Russia globally.

Key Takeaways

• Biden attributed economic struggles of China, Japan, Russia, India to "xenophobia".
• Biden credited U.S. economic growth to openness to immigration, contrasting other nations.
• IMF forecasts U.S. economic growth of 2.7% in 2024, partly due to migration.
• Biden's remarks come amid debate on immigration's role in economic growth.
• Biden included Japan in his criticism, which could raise concerns in Tokyo.