Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China and Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Global Human Rights Subcommittee, today issued the following statement on California Governor Gavin Newsom’s trip to China:

            “Governor Newsom’s trip to China was an excursion based on a naive misunderstanding of China’s repression and ill intentions that will have long-term negative ramifications for American security interests and the brave human rights and democracy advocates struggling for freedom in China.

            Not only did he allow himself to be used as a propaganda tool—even to the point of parroting the Chinese Communist Party’s fake ‘win-win’ rhetoric—but Newsom also failed to secure any improvements on human rights or even seriously broach the critical issue.

            At a minimum, he should have made the release and return of his constituent David Lin before he even considered any visit to China.”

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