Protesters filled the streets of San Francisco on Wednesday (November 15) to both support and protest the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to the US and his meeting with President Joe Biden.
The leaders of two of the most powerful nations on earth have met on the sidelines of the APEC summit in the US West Coast city for the first time since the tensions involving their military forces and an alleged Chinese spy balloon earlier this year.
During these protests, some have blocked the streets leading to the Moscone Center, where executives from top companies of APEC nations were convening.
Reuters also reported that dueling demonstrations were also observed between pro-Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and anti-CCP protesters - including pro-Taiwan and pro-Tibet demonstrators, which, at one point, became heated.
Non-Chinese demonstrators, such as those calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas War, also took to the streets on Wednesday.
Read Also: Security Ramps Up in San Francisco Ahead of APEC Summit
Demonstrators burn a Chinese flag as they protest the meeting between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping on November 15, 2023, in Woodside, California, during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Week.
Flag Burning Fail
Meanwhile, Newsweek reported on a comedic moment in one of the protests against Xi's visit.
Steve Bannon’s organized protest of President Xi today was a smorgasbord of unintentional comedy. They are supposed to light the Chinese flag on fire here, but couldn’t get it to burn. pic.twitter.com/Ji3McmpVIi
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) November 16, 2023
Liberal outlet MeidasTouch editor-in-chief Ron Filipkowski shared a clip of the moment a woman attempted - and failed - to burn a handheld Chinese flag at a protest reportedly organized by long-time Donald Trump ally Steve Bannon.
The video from Bannon's program "War Room" from the conservative news network Real America's Voice was posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. It showed a man telling Bannon that he would get the crowd loud enough to be heard "in Mainland China."
The man then led protesters in a chant of "Take Down the CCP!" while the woman attempted to set the small Chinese flag that another person was holding. After several failed attempts to light the flag on fire, they both walk off.
The clip has been viewed at least 100,000 times in the hours since it was posted.
"Steve Bannon's organized protest of President Xi today was a smorgasbord of unintentional comedy," Filipkowski wrote on X. "They are supposed to light the Chinese flag on fire here, but couldn't get it to burn."
Protesters hold Taiwan's flag as they confront supporters of Chinese President Xi Jinping during demonstrations at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Week in San Francisco, California, on November 15, 2023. The APEC Summit takes place through November 17.
Responses to the burning attempt were mixed between seeing the humor of and criticism of the act.
"[T]o be fair, that flag was made in China," one person jokingly responded to the tweet.
Other replies highlighted Bannon's alleged relationship with Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui after Bannon was arrested aboard Guo's yacht in 2020 on charges that he and his associates ripped off donors trying to fund a southern border wall. Trump pardoned him during his final hours in office.
"What an idiot," another person wrote. "Like it or not, USA & China are tied to each other economically. If either falters, it [affects] both nations. And if it was Trump meeting with Xi, the far right would think it was brilliant."
Related Article: Readout of President Joe Biden's Meeting with President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China
