China expressed condemnation of comments made by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who described Chinese President Xi Jinping as a "dictator."

Politico reports that on Monday, China’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, voiced the nation's strong disapproval and deep dissatisfaction with Baerbock's statements, labeling them as “highly absurd.”

“China is strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposes the German side’s remarks, which are extremely absurd, a serious infringement of China’s political dignity and an open political provocation,” she said. “China has made serious inquiries to the German side through diplomatic channels.”

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The condemnation follows comments Baerbock made during an interview with Fox News, in which the minister called Chinese President Xi Jinping a “dictator.”

“If Putin were to win this war, what sign would that be for other dictators in the world, like Xi, like the Chinese president?” she said.

Baerbock, an outspoken critic of China’s foreign policy, has pushed an aggressive stance against China’s approach towards Taiwan, describing potential military escalation as a “horror scenario.”