Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo took flak from Beijing this week shortly after delivering some of her hardest lines yet on the Biden administration's intention to best China in the ongoing tech war.
Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said "certain individuals" in the United States were harboring a "deep-rooted Cold War mentality." Washington was sending conflicting messages that could undermine trust with Beijing, he told reporters at a briefing on Monday.
The two governments have been signaling a desire to deescalate yearslong tensions in the relationship, a shared goal that culminated in last month's long-awaited summit between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.
Outside of the meeting room, however, decision-makers in both capitals have made incisive policy moves—controls on emerging technologies or critical sources—that once again showcased the underlying geopolitical rivalry being watched around the world.
Wang's criticism followed Raimondo's remarks at the weekend when she told the annual Reagan National Defense Forum that China was "the biggest threat we've ever had."
"The world needs us to manage our relationship with China responsibly to avoid escalation. You've got to do all that, but make no mistake about it—China is not our friend, and we need to be eyes wide open about the extent of that threat."
Raimondo visited China for talks in August, as Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei released a new flagship phone that some suspected had broken through the technological barriers her office had erected to slow the competitor's progress in next-general hardware.
Just over one year ago, the Biden administration began restricting China's access to the most advanced processing chips—made with U.S. or Western know-how—which U.S. officials said were helping to fuel the Chinese military's rapid modernization and buildup.
American tech companies have winced at the White House's growing list of controls on business with China, Raimondo said. The commerce secretary said more would be coming, including AI and biotechnology.
Raimondo called for Congress to appropriate more funds toward the enforcement of export controls at the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security.
On Tuesday, Republican Reps. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) and Michael McCaul (R-TX)—who chair the House Select Committee on China and the House Foreign Affairs Committee, respectively—said any additional resources would be contingent upon "necessary reforms to keep U.S. technology from our adversaries."
The lawmakers requested that Huawei's operating licenses be revoked and that Chinese firms dealing in emerging technologies that could undermine U.S. national security be added to the entity list.
During his press conference, Wang, the spokesperson, also quoted from the Global Times, a Chinese state-owned tabloid, warning: "Going against the principles and laws of the free trade market is like building a dam with a sieve. No matter how hard you try, water will still find its way through the gaps and flow where it should."
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Aadil Brar is a reporter for Newsweek based in Taipei, Taiwan. He covers international security, U.S.-China relations, and East Asian ... Read more
