Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Mike Bloomberg apologises to guests after Boris Johnson criticises China in speech

Mike Bloomberg apologises to guests after Boris Johnson criticises China in speech

The former Prime Minister is said to have been critical of China during a speech to guests at the five-star Fullerton Bay hotel in Singapore
Billionaire financier Mike Bloomberg was forced to apologise to hundreds of guests at a business event in Singapore after Boris Johnson made a speech criticising China, reports have said.

The former Prime Minister spoke at the Bloomberg New Economy Form in Singapore on Tuesday where he described China as “a coercive autocracy” during an after-dinner speech to approximately 500 Asian businesspeople, investors and diplomats.

Mr Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York and friend of Mr Johnson, acknowledged that some attendees may have been “insulted or offended” by the remarks during a session on Wednesday.

According to The Guardian, the businessman later clarified that Mr Johnson’s comments were “his thoughts and his thoughts alone”.

“Some may have been insulted or offended last night by parts of the speaker’s remarks referencing certain countries and their duly elected leaders.

“Those were his thoughts and his thoughts alone, not cleared in advance by anyone nor shared with me personally,” Mr Bloomberg said.

“To those of you who were upset and concerned by what the speaker said, you have my apologies.

“And if you weren’t upset, perhaps you’ve enjoyed Boris Johnson - he is who he is. He’s very controversial but also very entertaining. He was trying to be amusing rather than informative and serious and I think we need to give him a little bit of credit for that.”

Mr Johnson is also said to have told guests that he was taking a “temporary hiatus” from frontline politics, fuelling speculation that he plans to make a comeback in future.

One guest at the dinner said: "Boris was pretty belligerent in his criticism of a bunch of foreign governments, especially China and Russia, which he described as coercive autocracies."

Another attendee said: "Boris was very, very critical. The speech was pretty shocking. People felt uncomfortable. He used very undiplomatic language about China at a conference in Asia. A former Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister should have known better."

A spokesperson for Mr Johnson said: “The Prime Minister is robust in his criticism of authoritarianism and autocracy – including in Russia and China – and will continue to be so. He will continue to make the case for freedom and democracy on the world stage.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
Head of Gaza Aid Group Resigns Amid Humanitarian Concerns
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Iranian Director Jafar Panahi Wins Palme d'Or at Cannes
Israeli Airstrike Kills Nine Children of Gaza Doctor
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki Erupts Again, Spewing Ash Cloud over Flores Island
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
Senate Democrats Move to Censure Trump Over Qatar Jet Gift
Hamas Releases Last Living US Hostage from Gaza Amid Ongoing Conflict
×