US President Joe Biden made remarks at a fundraising event in Washington, criticizing India, China, Japan, and Russia for what he described as "xenophobia" hindering their economic growth. Biden suggested that these countries' reluctance to accept immigrants was a factor in their economic challenges.
The President's comments came amidst a backdrop of immigration being a polarizing issue in the 2024 US presidential campaign, with a significant portion of Americans naming immigration as the top problem facing the country.
Despite concerns about a global economic slowdown in 2024, India's economy is projected to grow robustly at 6.8%. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicts varying growth rates across different countries, with developed economies like Japan expected to see modest growth of 0.9% while developing nations like India are anticipated to experience stronger growth.
Biden's remarks underscore the importance of immigration to economic growth, with economists attributing part of the United States' better-than-expected performance to the expansion of its labor force through migration. However, concerns about irregular immigration have heightened, becoming a significant issue for US voters leading up to the upcoming presidential election in November.
President Biden's administration has been actively engaging with countries like Japan and India to forge broader economic and political alliances, aiming to counter global influences from nations such as China and Russia.
