California Representative Ro Khanna, a Democrat, attacked California Governor Gavin Newsom for his Friday meeting with Xi Jinping, stating that he would have “taken a different tone” on CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”
On Wednesday, Newsom met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and other officials from the Communist Party, discussing the “climate crisis” and California’s partnership with Beijing. Newsom discussed the fentanyl problem as well.
“Gavin Newsom, governor of California, the first governor in four years, Ro, to head over there. Boy, those guys looked — they looked like they really liked each other. I don’t know what exactly they were talking about, but, I mean, we know about China and the relationship that Xi has with Putin. Were there political overtones to why Gavin Newsom was over there glad-handing with President Xi, Ro? And then I’ll ask Mike Gallagher, does that look good to anyone, Ro?” co-host Joe Kernen remarked.
“I have no problem with him going there. I would have taken a different tone. Let me just say first that the most substantive bipartisan work taking place anywhere in Congress is on the China Select Committee, and that has a lot to do with Mike Gallagher’s leadership.” Khanna replied.
“But here was my challenge: I mean, go meet with Xi Jinping, but the first three things should be, what is happening with the Uighurs and the human rights crisis? What is happening with our trade deficit? Why do you have a trade deficit not just with the United States, a trade surplus, but with India, Japan, South Korea? That’s got to stop. We want our jobs back. What are you doing in terms of ratcheting up the tension on Taiwan? And let’s be very clear, you’re not going to have any support and you will have huge deterrence and opposition if you make any move on Taiwan. Those needed to be the conversations.” Khanna continuned.
Newsom met with Chinese officials to press for the communist country to abandon fossil fuels and achieve the pre-agreed targets of carbon neutrality.
The California Governor received praise from Chinese Communist controlled media outlets in the wake of his visit.
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