Tipsheet

Marsha Blackburn's Exchange With Commerce Sec. Reminds Us How Concerned We Should Be About China

Rebecca Downs
Rebecca Downs  |  October 08, 2023 10:30 AM

Last week, the Senate Committee on Science, Commerce, and Transportation held its hearing on CHIPS and Science Implementation and Oversight, calling Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo as a witness. The secretary's responses were certainly less than comforting, especially when it comes to her exchange with Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN).

The secretary, who had gone to China in late August, for the most part gave the briefest of answers when questioned by Blackburn. For instance, when asked if it was "a success," Raimondo pointed out that "it was a productive trip, certainly." She didn't give the most direct of answers, though, when asked "were you able to hold them to account?" In response, Raimondo offered "I was clear that there'll be no negotiation on anything related to national security or export controls."

Her response was even more so unhelpful when it comes to the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) treatment of the Uyghur Muslims."Did you call them out about committing genocide about the Uyghur Muslims?" Raimondo said that "I did," and when pressed for follow up on their response, the secretary said she "didn't get much of a response."

The administration has had a less than inspiring response when it comes to calling the CCP out for committing genocide, especially when it comes to how Johnny Kerry, the climate change czar, would rather prioritize climate change rather than what he evidently sees as the distraction that is human rights. Congressional Democrats also caused delays in the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, and when President Joe Biden did sign it, there was little fanfare.

Raimondo has also not visited Taiwan, and, when pressed by Blackburn as to if there "is any reason for that," the secretary emphasized she has had "no reason to visit Taiwan." She also notably did not directly answer as to whether or not she recognizes Taiwan as a country, instead answering that "the administration's policy is clear on Taiwan," though Blackburn cut in to ask "so you're not going to deviate on that," to which the secretary responded "absolutely not."

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The U.S. Department of State website currently mentions that "we do not support Taiwan independence," though Biden has caused confusion before with pledging to defend Taiwan, promises that his staff have had to walk back.

Several governors and members of Congress, including Nancy Pelosi when she was Speaker of the House, have found time to go to Taiwan. Further, the hearing was on CHIPS, and Taiwan has been regarded as a major part of the industry, as Blackburn pointed out to the secretary. A TIME Magazine headline from last October even referred to it as "the center of the world." A headline from The Economist in March read that "Taiwan’s dominance of the chip industry makes it more important."

Blackburn not only posted about the exchange over X, she has also since posted several times about yet another international concern taking place under the Biden administration's watch. The senator started posting about Hamas' attack on Israel early on Saturday morning and continued throughout the day. She also released a statement.

In addition to expressing unequivocal support for Israel, Blackburn was also among those calling out Biden and his administration for having given $6 billion to Iran in a prisoner exchange as well as having given aid to Palestine. The announcement of that aid came on the 22nd anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

Many others have taken to expressing concerns about Taiwan in the same posts discussing the war in Israel, as they fear Biden's weakness on the world stage will empower China to soon go after Taiwan.

This includes several members of Congress, including Reps. Wesley Hunt (R-TX) and Carlos Gimenez (R-FL), who didn't shy away from bringing up the Biden administration's countless other failures when it comes to foreign policy. Although Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) went after House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) in his post, it was nevertheless noteworthy that he grouped Taiwan in with Ukraine and Israel, two countries that have been attacked during Biden's time in office.