International Community, State Dept. Condemn Chinese Sanctions
(Andy Wong/AP Photo)
A divided Biden White House has been struggling to stay firm in the face of increased Chinese aggression. Last week, China blacklisted the wife of Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) as well as a group of Canadian lawmakers and British officials.
The move resulted in Secretary of StateAntony Blinken stating that the Chinese sanctions are baseless and seek to intimidate as well as silence those who speak about Beijing’s grave abuses of human rights.
“An increasingly assertive China, and they know that the U.S. is better off tackling them with partners rather than trying to do it alone,” he stated. “And all our allies can say the same.”
Meanwhile, officials within the Biden administration said the State Department’s opposition may be all talk. Trade representative Katherine Tai has vowed not to lift U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods imposed by President Trump. In an interview Sunday, she admitted she’s facing pressure to lift the tariffs, but she said doing so would hurt the U.S. economy.
Tai clarified that U.S. manufacturers and importers are planning ahead with customs duties in mind and removing the tariffs would thwart their business plans. The trade representative added, the tariffs also serveas “leverage” in any future talks with China. The international community is eager to have these talks, according to the Canadian Foreign Minister.
The international community is targeting China over its concentration camps in the Xinjiang province, which provide cheap labor to several multi-national corporations. However, those very corporations are even facing backlash within China as consumers in Beijing are beginning to push back and have begun organizing boycotts of productsmade in Xinjiang.
Despite global outrage, however, China has refused to admit any wrongdoing.
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