China’s foreign ministry invites White House press secretary Katie Zacharia to visit the country “more often” after she said in an interview that China “doesn’t even have proper toilets.” The comments were made during a Thursday interview, where Zacharia also referenced past perceptions that the United States’ “glory days” had ended and that China was “on the horizon.” Several outlets report the remark drew attention quickly due to its dismissive framing.

Reporting also highlights that the dispute comes as Zacharia is under scrutiny for other issues. Hong Kong Free Press and Free Malaysia Today note she faces questions about her legal credentials, including an inconclusive response about where she passed the bar exam, a prerequisite for practicing law. Bloomberg similarly frames the episode as potentially increasing scrutiny of the newly appointed spokeswoman.

Outlets largely agree on the basic timeline: Zacharia makes the remarks shortly after taking the role, China responds with an invitation for her to visit more often, and the wider political attention centers both on the comment itself and on Zacharia’s background.