Raimondo Blasts China for “Anti-Competitive” Behavior, Won’t Commit to Keeping Huawei Sanctions
Tuesday, January 26, 2021
Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo blasted China for its “anti-competitive behavior” before the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on Tuesday during her confirmation hearings for United States Commerce Secretary.
Raimondo, however, would not speak to Chinese tech giant Huawei’s current placement on the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) “Entity List” — and whether they would remain on the list.
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Raimondo’s comments come following the Biden Administration’s announcement that it is “is still reviewing how it will approach any national security challenges posed by Chinese-owned video-sharing app TikTok and telecommunications provider Huawei,” according to Cyberscoop on Monday.
Questions of Chinese Trade Practices
Republican Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri asked Raimondo about his specific concerns for steel and aluminum tariffs.
“One of the disadvantages we’ve created for ourselves over recent years are our tariffs on a number of things, but particularly steel and aluminum,” said Blunt. “President Biden said he’d conduct a review of all existing tariffs — I’m personally concerned about the 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum."
“China has clearly behaved in ways that are anti-competitive — dumping cheap steel and aluminum into America which hurts American workers and hurts the ability of our companies to compete,” said Raimondo. “So should I be confirmed, I plan to be very aggressive to help Americans compete against the unfair practices of China.”
“I will say, the President has been clear — we need to step back, review broadly our trade policies as it relates to China, consult with our allies, and I will assure you that I will certainly listen to you, engage stakeholders, listen to the manufacturers in your state and take their needs into account,” Raimondo continued. “I also understand there’s an exclusions process, for consuming industries, and I will commit to you to ensure that that exclusions process is swift, fair, and objective and helps to balance the competing interests.”
Blunt then responded to Raimondo's answer.
“We shouldn’t tolerate dumping at the same time we shouldn’t use national security as an excuse to have a tariff and you’re not suggesting we should — but anything you do on that front doesn’t take away the tools you have from a country like China that may be dumping steel and aluminum and I hope you look at that way,” Blunt responded.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz — who hammered Raimondo on Rhode Island’s last place finish in 2019 for business in CNBC’s annual rankings — asked her specifically about her views on Huawei.
“As you know the Department of Commerce maintains the ‘Entity” list’ — which is foreign parties that engage in activities contrary to U.S. national security,” said Cruz. “And in 2019 I led an effort to add to that list companies the Chinese Communist Party has used to carry out their surveillance campaigns of Uighurs and other oppressive activities, and I introduced legislation mandating that some of those companies be listed — the Tiananmen Act — and in the fall of 2019 and in 2020, the Trump Administration did so, adding batches of Chinese technology companies to the Entity list.”
“Can you commit if confirmed that these companies will remain on the BIS entity list?” asked Cruz.
“I will continue working with you on that, and I certainly agree with you the Entity list is a powerful tool in the Commerce Secretary’s tool kit to shore up American national security,” said Raimondo.
“Let me ask about Huawei in particular — can you commit that Huawei will remain on the list?” Cruz pressed.
“I will commit that once — should I be confirmed — I will review the policy, consult with you, consult with industry, consult with our allies, and assess what’s best for American national and economic security,” said Raimondo.
Committee members have until the end of day on Tuesday to submit any additional questions on the record for Raimondo; she has until Monday to respond in writing.
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