A viral image shared on X, formerly Twitter, purports to show President Joe Biden turning his back on Chinese President Xi Jinping during their recent California meeting.

President Xi is patiently waiting for President Biden to turn around his body.👇
To respect old people is a virtue in China. pic.twitter.com/KDfI2kFkRV

— ShanghaiPanda (@thinking_panda) November 17, 2023

Verdict: False

The image is digitally altered. Video of the two leaders’ meeting shows that Biden did not turn his back on Jinping at any point.

Fact Check:

House Speaker Mike Johnson criticized Biden for “projecting weakness” during his recent meeting with Jinping, according to The Hill. Biden also took heat from the Chinese government for calling Jinping a “dictator” during a press conference following their meeting, the outlet reported.

The X image, viewed over 100,000 times, purports to show Biden turning his back on Jinping during their recent California meeting. “President Xi is patiently waiting for President Biden to turn around his body. To respect old people is a virtue in China,” the post’s caption reads. In the image, Biden appears to face away from Jinping.

The image is digitally altered, however. Video uploaded to YouTube by Ohio-based news outlet WBNS 10TV shows that Biden did not turn his back on Jinping at any point. The video opens with Jinping exiting his vehicle before being greeted by Biden with a handshake. The two leaders then walk toward a nearby estate, where they stop to pose for a photo together, shake hands once again, and enter the building.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Biden and Jinping met at the Filoli Estate in Woodside, California, where they spoke after “a yearlong silence.” The two leaders met amid the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit, the outlet reported. (RELATED: Did Trump Claim To Still Be The President?)

Likewise, Check Your Fact found no credible news reports suggesting Biden turned his back on Jinping during their recent meeting. In addition, the claim is not referenced on the White House’s website or its verified social media accounts, and Biden has also not publicly commented on the claim.

Check Your Fact has contacted the White House for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.