WASHINGTON—Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, delivered opening remarks at the hearing on the nomination of former Senator David Perdue to be Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Monica Crowley to be Chief of Protocol at the U.S. Department of State. In her opening remarks, Ranking Member Shaheen expressed concern about the PRC’s expanding global influence as the U.S. steps back and cited Beijing’s growing role in Cambodia and Myanmar, in addition to their disinformation campaigns throughout the world.
You can watch her opening remarks here.
“Around the world right now, China is stepping in as we are stepping back, sadly,” said Ranking Member Shaheen. “China is replacing canceled American child nutrition programs in Cambodia, China’s rescue workers are responding to the earthquake in Myanmar before the United States and Chinese disinformation is going to fill the vacuum that has been left by efforts to eliminate Radio Free Asia and Voice of America.”
Ranking Member Shaheen also raised concerns about the impact of tariffs and trade wars on U.S. credibility and expressed concern that allies like Japan and South Korea are coordinating with the PRC in response to President Trump’s tariffs.
“The threats of tariffs and trade wars are undermining trust in the United States as a reliable partner to China’s advantage,” said Ranking Member Shaheen. “Just this week, two longtime allies—Japan and South Korea—met with China to deepen trade ties in response to President Trump’s tariffs.”
The Ranking Member’s opening remarks, as delivered, are below.
Thank you, Chairman. Welcome to today’s nominees and to your families. We appreciate your willingness to continue to serve the country. Around the world right now, China is stepping in as we are stepping back, sadly. China is replacing canceled American child nutrition programs in Cambodia, China’s rescue workers are responding to the earthquake in Myanmar before the United States and Chinese disinformation is going to fill the vacuum that has been left by efforts to eliminate Radio Free Asia and Voice of America.
And at the same time, the threats of tariffs and trade wars are undermining trust in the United States as a reliable partner to China’s advantage. Just this week, two longtime allies, Japan and South Korea, met with China to deepen trade ties in response to President Trump’s tariffs.
This is a trend that extends beyond Asia, sadly. From Greenland to the Panama Canal—saber-rattling to extract concessions will lead friendly governments around the world to hedge their bets with the United States to explore closer relationships with China in the long term.
Take the Republic of Georgia for example, which canceled a port contract with Western firms. Recent reports indicate that it intends to award that project, which is on the Black Sea, to a Chinese company. This is an issue that both Chairman Risch and I have worked very hard on to try and move Georgia forward, and it's deeply disappointing to see this opportunity slip away.
Senator Perdue, I know that you're aware of the challenge that China poses – we had a very good conversation when we met before this hearing. I know that presidents of both parties have also recognized this threat and that President Trump certainly has articulated this threat, but I am afraid that despite recognizing the threat, we are actually weakening our hand by our actions. Congress's failure to extend the Global Engagement Center last year was a serious setback for our ability to counter disinformation. Meanwhile, China's spending billions of dollars on propaganda. We need more tools like the GEC, not fewer. Beijing sells itself as a reliable, anti-colonial answer to America. But of course, we know that’s not true. The Chinese Communist Party ruthlessly targets diaspora communities and human rights groups. They leverage corrupt investments to influence decision-makers from Africa and Latin America across Asia and they've tried to buy off politicians in Australia and New Zealand to undermine democratic elections.
And Beijing is not afraid to use hard power. China’s coast guard harasses Philippine forces, Beijing is stepping up military exercises over the Taiwan Strait, including just this week and, in Ukraine, China and North Korea have been actively supporting Putin’s war machine.
In light of President Trump’s tariffs, Mr. Chairman, I would like to enter into the record a Foreign Affairs article by Stephen Brooks who's a professor at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. It's titled “The Real China Trump Card: The Hawk’s Case Against Decoupling.” It says that, and I quote, “a peacetime decoupling would cost Washington one of the strongest tools it has to deter Chinese aggression.”
Senator Perdue, you certainly have your work cut out for you. I look forward to hearing your plans for what you hope to achieve if confirmed to lead the U.S. mission in the People’s Republic of China. The dismantling of U.S. foreign assistance, ending support for independent media and the erosion of alliances means you will go into this position with fewer tools to counter the PRC. So, I'd like to understand how you plan to manage one of the greatest adversaries of our time in this context.
Ms. Crowley, I'm sure you noted that I have focused the bulk of my remarks on the issue of China, but I would also want to hear from you on how you would approach the post of Chief of Protocol—should you be confirmed.
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