China invites White House press secretary to visit after toilet remarks

China’s Foreign Ministry invited White House press secretary Katie Zacharia to visit the country Friday after she questioned the adequacy of its toilets, The Korea Times reported. Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning issued the invitation when asked about Zacharia’s remarks at a regular press briefing.

The exchange followed Zacharia’s discussion of expectations in 2016 that China would overtake the United States. According to The Korea Times, she had previously lived in Beijing and had been in her White House post for less than a week.

Zacharia made the comments Thursday in an interview with conservative commentator Jack Posobiec, according to The Korea Times. She recalled doubting predictions about China’s rise after returning from the country.

In describing her reaction to those expectations in 2016, Zacharia cited what she viewed as inadequate toilets as a reason for skepticism about China’s prospects of overtaking the United States, the newspaper reported.

Mao responded with a brief invitation for Zacharia to see the country when she had an opportunity, according to the Foreign Ministry’s official transcript cited by The Korea Times.

The newspaper also reported that Zacharia had worked at Zhong Lun Law Firm in Beijing from 2011 to 2013. Her past residence in China formed part of the background to her comments about the country.

The Korea Times also reported scrutiny of Zacharia’s legal credentials after she acknowledged that she had not passed a U.S. bar examination.