On Thursday’s broadcast of CNN International’s “Amanpour,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) stated that President Trump will be known “as the president who lost Hong Kong.” And said he hopes the U.S. takes “tough” actions like reciprocity against China for its actions in Hong Kong.
Schumer said, “I think we have to do some very strong things. I’ve been a critic of China, as you know. Although, I’ve felt that Donald Trump’s policies aren’t the right ones. Tariffs do not work as well as reciprocity. In other words, telling China, what you don’t let our companies do in your country, we won’t let your companies do in our country.”
He added, “President Trump, on the phone, told President Xi, when the demonstrations occurred last time, before COVID, that he wouldn’t say anything or interfere. So, he sort of gave Xi a green light to go ahead and do what he wanted. And of course, with the COVID crisis, he has cover. Donald Trump’s going to go down in history as the president who lost Hong Kong. Because of his mollycoddling to President Xi. Once in a while, he talks tough. But in the actual actions, Xi seems to play him very well, each time. And when he told Xi that he would not speak out strongly when the first round of demonstrations occurred, he sort of said to Xi — he sort of gave him a green light.”
Schumer concluded, “Now, Pompeo is trying to come up with some plans, and I hope they’ll be tough and I think reciprocity makes sense. I do support what they’re doing with Huawei and some of the other tech companies, but…I hope it’s not too late. But I worry, given what Trump has done thusfar, it may be too late.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
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