White House forced to defend US reporter manhandled by apparent Chinese aide

[Valin]

The Washington Examiner

Naomi Lim, White House Reporter |

November 14, 2022

White House aides had to step in and help a U.S. television producer who was being manhandled by someone who appeared to be a Chinese staffer before President Joe Biden's first in-person meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

ABC White House producer Molly Nagle shouted at Biden after he and Xi provided their opening remarks, asking the president whether he would raise human rights issues during his three-hour discussion with Xi on the sidelines of the Group of 20 leaders summit in Bali, Indonesia.

"Instantly, a man from the Chinese side — he was wearing a white Covid mask with a Chinese flag on it — yanked the producer backwards by the backpack," Agence France-Presse pool reporter Sebastian Smith wrote Monday night local time.

"She lost balance without falling and was pushed toward the door," he added. "Two White House staff members intervened saying the producer should be left alone."

(Snip)