WASHINGTON. — The administration of President Joe Biden has drawn Republican fire for its cautious response to nationwide protests in China against COVID-19 lockdowns, with some lawmakers accusing it of failing to seize a historic moment.
But some analysts say caution is the right approach given the volatile US-China relationship and the risk of playing into a Chinese narrative that accuses “foreign forces” of being behind dissent.
On Monday, the White House said it backed the right of people to peacefully protest in China but stopped short of criticizing Beijing as protesters in multiple Chinese cities demonstrated against heavy COVID-19 measures.
The demonstrations came as the number of COVID cases in China hit record daily highs and large parts of several cities faced new lockdowns.
The Republican response was swift.
Senator Ted Cruz called the White House response “pitiful,” adding in a tweet: “At a potentially historic inflection point, Dems shill for the CCP.”
Other Republicans, including Senator Marco Rubio and Representative Chris Smith, weighed in on what they labeled a “weak” reaction from Biden, while Michael McCaul, the Republican lead on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in tweet: “As Chinese citizens bravely protest, Joe Biden & the corporate class shrug.”
McCaul vowed a tougher stance against China from the new Republican-controlled House of Representatives from next year while Rubio and Smith declared: “The United States must be unwavering in our support for the Chinese people as they bravely call for freedom.”
The Republican politicians did not state specifically how they would respond in Biden’s place.
The administration’s careful language contrasted with Biden’s earlier expression of solidarity with protesters against the Iranian government, when he told a political rally earlier in November that “we’re gonna free Iran.”
China’s biggest wave of civil disobedience since President Xi Jinping took power a decade ago arrives at a delicate moment in U.S.-China relations.
Following an August visit to Taiwan by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, China launched military drills around the island, which it considers Chinese territory, and cut off communications with the US in a number of areas, including military issues and climate change.
Since then, China and the US have worked to steady the relationship. Biden and Xi met in-person on the Indonesian island of Bali earlier in November and the countries have agreed to follow-up discussion, including a planned visit to China by Secretary of State Antony Blinken in early 2023. — Reuters
