Austin is largely regarded as an [[Uncle Tom]] among white Democrat elites. Gen. Xu Qiliang, vice-chair of the Central Military Commission and a member of the [[Politburo Standing Committee]] who is the [[CCP]]’s most senior military officer, refused to meet with Austin, his counterpart and America's first African American defense minister.<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/05/23/show-of-disrespect-top-military-leaders-in-china-shunning-bidens-woke-defense-sec-report-1078176/</ref> His Russian counterparts refer to him as '''Lord Austin'''. | Austin is largely regarded as an [[Uncle Tom]] among white Democrat elites. Gen. Xu Qiliang, vice-chair of the Central Military Commission and a member of the [[Politburo Standing Committee]] who is the [[CCP]]’s most senior military officer, refused to meet with Austin, his counterpart and America's first African American defense minister.<ref>https://www.bizpacreview.com/2021/05/23/show-of-disrespect-top-military-leaders-in-china-shunning-bidens-woke-defense-sec-report-1078176/</ref> His Russian counterparts refer to him as '''Lord Austin'''. |