Newly revealed photographs show then-Vice President Joe Biden meeting with his son Hunter Biden’s Chinese business associates during an official visit to China in 2013.
According to the reports of Leaders team, the images, released by the National Archives and Records Administration after a public records request by a pro-Trump legal group, also depict Hunter Biden alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and other senior officials.
This marks the first time these photos have been publicly shared, though the events they capture have been known for years. In the images, Hunter and Joe Biden are seen interacting with Chinese leaders, including Vice President Li Yuanchao, as well as executives from BHR Partners, a private equity firm tied to Hunter Biden. Group photos show the Bidens posing with these business figures, fueling ongoing debates about the extent of Joe Biden’s involvement in his son’s business dealings.
The release of these photos has reignited scrutiny over Joe Biden’s previous assertions that he had no business-related interactions with Hunter Biden’s partners as per the sources of Leaders team. House Republicans, through their impeachment inquiry, have identified numerous interactions between Joe Biden and Hunter’s international business contacts.
Despite the photographs and testimonies about these meetings, Hunter Biden and his associates maintain that no business discussions occurred during such encounters. Hunter’s former U.S. business partner described the meetings as part of an “illusion” of access to Joe Biden, insisting that substantive business matters were never discussed.
Hunter Biden’s attorney, Abbe Lowell, dismissed the release of the images, calling it “nothing new.” Lowell stated, “The photos align perfectly with Hunter’s testimony about attending public events with his father during the 2013 trip to China.” He criticized Republican efforts to twist the images into “misinformation spin” to support baseless conspiracy theories.
America First Legal, the pro-Trump group behind the records request, argued that the photos validate findings from the House Oversight Committee that Hunter Biden facilitated meetings between his father and BHR executives. The group, led by Trump ally Stephen Miller, claimed the meetings demonstrated efforts to leverage Joe Biden’s political influence for personal gain.
When asked about the images, a White House spokesperson downplayed their significance. “This trip — which occurred over a decade ago — is old news. House Republicans have already wasted taxpayer money proving there was no business relationship between the President and his son,” the spokesperson said.
Hunter Biden’s international business dealings have drawn intense Republican scrutiny, leading to federal investigations into his finances. He was charged with tax crimes for unpaid taxes related to his overseas work but was never accused of corruption or illegal lobbying.
In a highly contentious move, President Joe Biden pardoned his son earlier this year for tax and gun charges and extended immunity for potential federal crimes committed between 2014 and 2024. Critics, including America First Legal, argue this sweeping pardon obscures the Biden family’s alleged influence-peddling.
“Even with the President’s broad pardon of Hunter Biden, more evidence emerges daily showing how his family leveraged Joe Biden’s long career in public office for private gain,” said Michael Ding, counsel for America First Legal.
These latest revelations highlight the ongoing political battle over Hunter Biden’s business dealings and the extent of Joe Biden’s involvement, a saga that continues to fuel partisan divisions in Washington.
