China invites US press secretary to visit more often after toilet remark, SCMP says

Katie Zacharia is the new White House press secretary and chief spokeswoman for the Trump administration. The South China Morning Post (SCMP) and Reuters both describe her as newly appointed.

According to the SCMP, China's foreign ministry has invited Zacharia to visit China more often. The invitation followed remarks in which she said China lacked "proper toilets".

The remarks

According to the SCMP, Zacharia made the comment on Thursday in an interview with conservative commentator Jack Posobiec. She was discussing a perception around 2016 that US influence was declining and China was rising. The SCMP quoted her as describing a view at the time that "the gold days, the glory days of the US were over and China was on the horizon".

The newspaper quoted her as saying: "I remember this very distinctly, having just come from China, thinking, ‘How is China the next country on the horizon? They don’t even have proper toilets’".

China's response

According to the SCMP, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning was asked about the remarks at a regular press conference on Friday. The newspaper quoted her as saying: "[We] welcome her to visit China more often when she has the opportunity".

Background

The SCMP reported that Zacharia previously lived in China with her husband. It also reported that her LinkedIn profile says she worked as an associate at Zhong Lun Law Firm in Beijing from 2011 to 2013. The newspaper describes the firm as one of China's largest. The reports do not independently verify this employment history.

The SCMP also reported that US President Donald Trump is expected to visit Shenzhen for the Apec summit. The reports do not include official confirmation of this visit.

Bar exam statement

In a separate report, Reuters said Zacharia stated on Thursday that she did not pass the bar exam. According to Reuters, her statement followed scrutiny of her legal career before she became press secretary. Vocemundi reviewed only a summary of the Reuters report. It does not say where she made the statement or whether it was part of the same interview. It also does not say which bar exam she took.

What each side says

• Katie Zacharia: According to the SCMP, she said that around 2016, having just come from China, she questioned how China could be the "next country on the horizon" without "proper toilets". According to Reuters, she said she did not pass the bar exam.
• Mao Ning: According to the SCMP, she said China welcomes Zacharia to visit more often when she has the opportunity.

What remains unclear

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include the full Posobiec interview. They do not include an official foreign ministry transcript of Mao's remarks. They do not describe any response from Zacharia or the White House to the ministry's comments. Only the SCMP reports the core of this story.

Analysis

The exchange comes as Trump is expected to visit Shenzhen for the Apec summit, according to the SCMP, although the reports do not include official confirmation of the trip. As reported, Mao's response took the form of an invitation rather than a formal protest. It could be read as measured diplomacy or as indirect criticism. The reports do not indicate which was intended. Statements from the White House or Beijing could clarify whether the episode has any effect on summit preparations. Separately, the bar exam statement may keep attention on Zacharia's professional background. Because the core story rests on a single outlet, further reporting could add context or change it.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.