Key facts
- Zacharia's comments were made during an interview with influencer Jack Posobiec.
- Mao Ning's response was delivered with a smile to reporters.
- Zacharia's tenure as White House press secretary lasted five days.
- Some Chinese social media users called Zacharia's comments "foolish."
Beijing has invited White House press secretary Katie Zacharia to visit China more often after she claimed the country lacks "proper toilets" in a recent interview. Zacharia, who was appointed less than a week ago, made the remarks while speaking with far-right podcaster Jack Posobiec on Thursday. She recalled thinking "how is China the next country on the horizon? They don’t even have proper toilets," while discussing perceptions of China's rise around 2016. China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning responded on Friday, stating, "She’s welcome to come and see China more often when she has the opportunity." Zacharia previously lived in China and worked at a law firm in Beijing. Her brief tenure as press secretary has been marked by scrutiny over her legal credentials and an apparent inability to answer basic questions.