House Democrat Warns Harsh Criticism of China Will Lead to Anti-Asian Violence

Ari Blaff

Representative Judy Chu (D., Calif.) argued during a Wednesday speech that Asian Americans will be assaulted and even murdered at higher rates if Americans use harsh language to advocate an aggressive posture toward China — even in the context of “economic competition.”

“Already, Asian Americans have been suffering three years of anti-Asian hate due to Trump calling Covid-19 ‘China virus’ and ‘kung flu,’” the California representative said during a speech celebrating the opening of the Vincent Chin Institute.

“But now, the rhetoric and tension about the U.S.-China relationship comes on top of that, potentially escalating that violence. Today, the focus has shifted to extremists engaging in racial profiling of Chinese Americans.”

The organization is named after a Chinese American man murdered in 1982 by auto workers who blamed Asians for job sector layoffs.

“Today, over 40 years later, what we learned is that the rhetoric used around economic competition with Asian countries can result in harm and even murder of Asian Americans here at home,” Chu added.

Chu, the first Chinese American elected to Congress and chair of the Asian Pacific American Caucus, has been vocal in her condemnation of House Republicans, arguing that their rhetoric on China has contributed to violence against Asian American communities. Her argument echoes other liberal voices who have called on the United States to soften its criticism of China in order to combat anti-Asian violence.

“Even I have been accused by extremist right-wing Republican congressmen, in particular this one from Texas, of being a spy for China,” Chu added.

The comment is a reference to Representative Lance Gooden (R., Texas) who criticized Chu for defending Dominic Ng, who Biden appointed to lead the Business Advisory Council of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). Reporting in the Daily Caller in early February revealed that Ng was linked to a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) front group that served the country’s intelligence agency. However, Chu denounced the allegations against Ng as racial “profiling.”

Chu’s response led Gooden to question whether the California representative should have access to classified materials. “I question her either loyalty or competence,” the Texas representative told Fox News in February. “If she doesn’t realize what’s going on then she’s totally out of touch with one of her core constituencies.”

The statements ignited a firestorm amongst Democrats, leading Chu to reiterate that the revealtions surrounding Ng were “based on false information spread by an extreme, right-wing website. Furthermore, it is racist. I very much doubt that he would be spreading these lies were I not of Chinese American descent.”

Fellow House Republicans including Mike Gallagher (R., Wis.) joined the chorus condemning Gooden’s statements. “We should not question anybody’s loyalty to the United States. I think that is out of bounds. It’s beyond the pale,” Gallagher argued.

However, Gooden has since doubled down calling out Chu’s ties with China.

“Democrat @RepJudyChu: Voted AGAINST committee to investigate China. Named ‘Honorary Chairwoman’ of CCP front group. It’s not ‘xenophobic’ to question where her loyalty lies,” Gooden tweeted shortly after.

Gooden endorsed Donald Trump in mid April, claiming that the former president “bravely stood up to the dangerous socialists agenda propagated by the radical left.”

More from National Review

Advertisement