Presidential candidate Joe Biden sparked controversy after he claimed to have worked on the Paris Climate Accord with former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, who died 19 years before the agreement was signed.
The former vice president spoke at the College of Charleston as the Democratic presidential hopefuls prepare for Saturday's South Carolina primary, which the Biden campaign is hoping will supercharge his as-yet sluggish charge for the party nomination.
In the past 48 Hours, Joe Biden said his son was the Attorney General of the United States, that he negotiated the Paris Climate Accord with a Chinese Leader that died in 1997 and that he’s running for the United States Senate...
— CHIZ ?? (@CHIZMAGA) February 25, 2020
“One of the things I’m proudest of is getting passed, getting moved, getting in control of the Paris Climate Accord,” Biden told the crowd in a video circulating on Twitter.
Its really incredible to hear Mr.Joe Biden mentioned that he had successfully persuaded Deng Xiaoping in to sign The Paris Climate Agreement on 2016. Deng died in 1997 I remember clearly. Joke of my day! ? @BarnabasGao pic.twitter.com/wceSv1IA2X
— Desmond Tian (@TianDesmond) February 27, 2020
“I’m the guy who came back after meeting with Deng Xiaoping and making the case that I believe China will join if we put pressure on them. We got almost 200 nations to join,” he said.
Only problem is Deng Xiaoping, China’s former paramount leader, died in 1997.
Joe Biden claimed tonight that he worked with Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping on the Paris Climate Accord.
— Zach Parkinson (@AZachParkinson) February 25, 2020
Except the current Chinese President is Xi Jinping.
Deng Xiapoing left office in 1992 and has been dead for 23 years. pic.twitter.com/ddEAmPhkZi
Over the past two weeks, Biden has repeatedly claimed he was cuffed in Soweto with the US ambassador for trying to visit Mandela at Robben Island Prison in the 1970s.
But Andrew Young, the former US ambassador to the UN who traveled with Biden to South Africa, denied that ever happened.
“No, I was never arrested and I don’t think he was, either,” Young, 85, told the New York Times.
BREAKING: The @NYTimes has now caught @JoeBiden lying 3 times this month about BEING ARRESTED in South Africa while trying visit Nelson Mandela during Apartheid.
— Shaun King (@shaunking) February 21, 2020
This is OUTRAGEOUS.
This never happened. People who were there say it never happened.https://t.co/i17ZYXeEmL