NewzChinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Washington is getting a much chillier reception on Capitol Hill than at the White House WASHINGTON (AP) — Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Washington is getting a much chillier reception on Capitol Hill than at the White House as lawmakers from both parties use the visit to denounce China’s actions on the world stage. Lawmakers have long found little downside to taking a hawkish tone on China, but the U.S.’s war with Iran has inflamed tensions as U.S.
officials accuse China of propping up Iran’s economy and supplying its military with components and intelligence, endangering U.S. service members in the Middle East. In speeches, letters, press conferences and hearings, lawmakers from both parties aired criticism of Xi’s visit.
Their actions and events stand in stark contrast to the warm welcome that Trump gave Xi on Wednesday as he arrived in Washington for a lavish state visit. Republicans air their dissenting views Sen. Roger Wicker, the chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, took to the Senate floor Tuesday night, offering a list of issues for Trump to raise with Xi, but not before suggesting that Xi shouldn’t have been asked to visit Washington at all.
“Quite frankly, had the White House asked me for advice, I would have suggested the president not invite Xi Jinping to Washington for such a lavish welcome here in the United States of America based on all of the troubling issues we have with President Xi and the Chinese Communist Party,” Wicker said. Wicker seemed particularly taken aback by the honor of a state dinner. Over the salad course, Wicker said the president could ask Xi about the Chinese Navy’s harassment of Filipino fishermen and sailors.
Then, while the servers are “switching from chardonnay to cabernet at the fancy state dinner,” perhaps the president could turn to the issue of Taiwan, he said. He went on to say he hopes some progress will be made when the president discussed trade and artificial intelligence with Xi. But concluded with this: “During every minute of dialogue, our commander in chief should keep in mind that his guest is a brutal, unelected, and oppressive dictator who seeks to dominate his neighbors and whose massive military arsenal is aimed directly at the United States of America.” House committee weighs in with a critical video Ahead of Xi’s visit, the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party released a highly critical video that had been viewed more than 245,000 times on X.
service members in the Middle East.In speeches, letters, press conferences and hearings, lawmakers from both parties aired criticism of Xi's visit.
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