California governor Gavin Newsom (D.) ran over a young Chinese student while attempting to show off his skills on the basketball court.
The incident occurred Friday while Newsom was visiting Beijing Yuying Public School, one of several stops on the governor's controversial visit to China to promote "partnership" in solving "the climate crisis." Newsom toured Beijing Yuying to observe the school’s "agricultural science and farm-to-school programs."
Joining several students on the court, Newsom spun the basketball on his finger and dribbled behind his back before shifting directions and crashing into a Chinese child, causing both to fall to the ground. Newsom managed to break the child’s fall and patted him on the back before getting up.
Many social media users noted the similarity to former British prime minister Boris Johnson running over a 10-year-old boy while playing rugby in Japan in 2015.
Newsom’s visit to China, which included a meeting with President Xi Jinping, has come under heavy criticism from Chinese dissidents and human rights activists. Despite heightened tensions with China, Newsom insisted on the necessity of collaboration with the communist government.
"Divorce is not an option," Newsom told CNN. "We’ve got to turn down the heat."