Have China hawks flown the coop?

The Conversation with Dasha Burns

POLITICO

News, Government, Politics

4.0 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 10 February 2023

⏱️ 38 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In Washington, there is now a bipartisan consensus around being tough on China. This was happening even before the Chinese sent a spy balloon drifting across the United States. Last month, by a vote of 365-65, the House created a new “Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party.” And with China hawks now dominating the thinking of both parties when it comes to Sino-U.S. relations, Deep Dive host Ryan Lizza decided to check in with Max Baucus, who is one of the leading voices warning that the hawks have things dangerously wrong. Baucus was the U.S. ambassador to China from 2014 to 2017. Before that he was, depending on the year, the chairman or ranking member of the very powerful Senate Finance Committee. And in this fascinating interview, he’s surprisingly critical of Republicans and Democrats alike for muddling the U.S. relationship with China in order to score political points at home. Ryan Lizza is a Playbook co-author for POLITICO.Max Baucus is the former U.S. Ambassador to China. Afra Abdullah is an associate producer for POLITICO audio.Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio.Alex Keeney is a senior producer for POLITICO audio.Brook Hayes is a senior editor for POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the executive producer for POLITICO audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	In Washington these days, there is a new bipartisan consensus around being tough on China.
0:09.7	If China threatens our sovereignty, we will act to protect our country and we danger posed by our dependence on China's dire.
0:18.7	This was happening even before the Chinese sent a spy balloon drifting across the United States.
0:24.1	We know that Beijing continues to coerce, to intimidate.
0:30.1	The House recently voted to create a new select committee on China by a vote of 365 to 65.
0:38.6	You don't see too many lopsided votes like that these days.
0:43.5	And the approach to China that this new committee will take is underscored by its official title.
0:49.0	The House select committee on strategic competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party.
0:57.0	But the balloon incident has really brought Democrats and Republicans together in outrage about China.
1:04.4	On Thursday, the House voted 419 to nothing for a resolution condemning China for its quote,
1:11.6	brazen violation of the United States' sovereignty.
1:15.3	The resolution is agreed to.
1:18.0	Over in the Senate, Democrats and Republicans took turns scolding Biden officials
1:23.2	who came to Capitol Hill for a hearing on what the administration knew about the balloon
1:28.3	and when they knew it.
1:29.7	Last year, then Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in one of her final foreign trips,
1:34.7	visited Taiwan against the wishes of both Xi Jinping and Joe Biden.
1:40.1	Not to be outdone, later this year, the new Speaker, Kevin McCarthy,
1:44.5	is planning his own trip to Taiwan and the Chinese have already publicly warned him not to go.
1:50.0	I don't think China can tell me where I can go at any time at any place.
1:53.4	The China hawks now dominate the thinking of both parties when it comes to Sino-US relations.
2:00.6	Max Boccus thinks they are wrong.
	...

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