HangzhouA cheeky tweet was posted by US Defence Intelligence Agency on Saturday and later deleted amid the tarmac tiff between US and Chinese officials.
"Classy as always China," the tweet read. The Wall Street Journal initally noticed the comment before it was deleted, the Guardian reported.
The tweet was posted after China gave a diplomatic snub to US President Barack Obama ahead of G20 summit
However, the spy agency felt compelled to apologise. "Earlier today, a tweet regarding a news article was mistakenly posted from this account & does not represent the views of the DIA. We apologize," the agency later tweeted.
Earlier today, a tweet regarding a news article was mistakenly posted from this account & does not represent the views of DIA. We apologize.
— DIA (@DefenseIntel) September 4, 2016
Meanwhile, the Global Times, China's English-language newspaper commented over the row saying: “Western media has hyped up the incident, but Obama tried to play it down,” it said in an editorial.
Obama hinted on Sunday that his Chinese hosts might have found the size of the US delegation “a little overwhelming”.
“This makes us believe that the tense atmosphere between China and the US can be partly attributed to the western media, which often makes a fuss over trifling issues.”
On Saturday, world leaders were given a red-carpet welcome when they arrived to attend the G20 meeting, however, US President Barack Obama was denied one.
An argument broke out between White House staffers and a Chinese official when the staffers tried to help US journalists position themselves to film Obama's arrival.
"This is our country! This is our airport!" he shouted. The outburst was caught on camera.
US National security adviser, Susan Rice, also became the focus of the official’s rage and a secret service agent had to intervene.
There was speculation that the red-carpet snub had been deliberate but was denied by an anonymous Chinese government source, the Guardian reported.
Singapore's Straits Times quoted Shen Dingli, an international relations expert from Shanghai's Fudan University saying: “The US should know well what they have done to upset China,” claiming anger over Washington's criticism of its activities in the South China Sea.
(WION)