Code Pink protesters interrupt first House China committee hearing

Two Code Pink protesters interrupted the early moments of the first primetime Congressional hearing on the dangers of the Chinese Communist Party Tuesday night. 

A woman and then a man were tossed out of the committee meeting, which included testimony from two former Trump officials, ex-National Security Advisor H.R. McMcMaster and Deputy National Security Advisor Matthew Pottinger, as well as Chinese human rights activist Tong Yi and Scott Paul, the head of the Alliance for American Manufacturing.

The women held up a sign that read ‘China is not our enemy,’ while the man held up a similar hand-drawn sign, doing so upside-down, that said, ‘Stop Asian Hate.’   

‘I should not have told him his sign was upside-down I guess,’ remarked the committee’s Chairman Mike Gallagher, a Wisconsin Republican, getting the hearing back underway once security removed the two anti-war activists. 

Later, the protesters got commended by Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna, an ally of progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders, noting that it ‘takes guts to come into the halls of power with a dissenting view.’

A Code Pink activist is escorted away by Capitol Police after interrupting the opening moments of the House Select Committee on the strategic competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party Tuesday night 

A Capitol Police officer escorts out a demonstrator from Code Pink after he interrupted the first public hearing of the House Select Committee on the strategic competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party

‘When we listen to people who question the very existence of the committee, we show by example what makes the United States of America different than Communist China,’ he added. 

The hearing marked the first gathering of the House Select Committee on the strategic competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party,  which was signed into creation by Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. 

The first meeting covered a variety of topics, including a number of present threats presented by China – for example, the country’s role in the fentanyl trade and the spy balloon – and potentially horrific future problems, like a war over Taiwan. 

The usual partisan divide wasn’t on prominent display Tuesday night. 

The committee’s top Democrat, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, noted at the top of the hearing that ‘we must recognize that the CCP wants us to be fractious, partisan and prejudiced’ urging his colleagues to stay professional and additionally not engage in anti-Asian hate. 

‘We have no quarrel with the Chinese people or people of Chinese origin,’ he said. 

He also said the U.S. had no appetite for war.  

‘I should not have told him his sign was upside-down I guess,’ remarked the committee’s Chairman Mike Gallagher (pictured), a Wisconsin Republican, getting the hearing back underway once security removed the two anti-war activists

Witnesses at Tuesday night’s hearing included (from left): Scott Paul, President of the Alliance for American Manufacturing, Tong Yi, Chinese human rights activist, former National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster and former Deputy National Security Advistor Matthew Pottinger

‘We do not want a war with the PRC. Not a cold war, not a hot war. We don’t want a clash of civilizations. But we seek a durable peace,’ he said. 

McMaster testified that he believed to avoid a war with China ‘peace through strength still works.’ 

‘It’s important for us to demonstrate the strength necessary to convince Xi Jinping, leaders in that party and leaders in the People Liberation Army that they cannot accomplish their objectives with the use of force,’ the former Trump official said. 

Strengthening American allies in the region is one way to do so, McMaster also noted, saying it was ‘immensely encouraging’ to see Japan doubling its defense budget. 

McMaster also testified that a number of Asian companies are cozying up with the U.S. due to Xi’s rhetoric and behavior.

‘We really need to thank Xi Jinping because he’s really helping us,’ McMaster said. ‘I think it is becoming clear to countries in that region it’s not a choice between Washington and Beijing, it’s a choice between sovereighty and servitude.’ 

Pottinger, who previously testified before the January 6 committee, explained China’s role in the current flood of fentanyl coming over the U.S. southern border. 

The former Trump national security official explained that previously Chinese fentanyl was coming into the U.S. via the mail, but that was cracked down upon during the last administration. 

Now the chemicals used to make fentanyl are coming from China and getting into the hands of the Mexican cartels. 

‘The best that you can say is that the Chinese Communist Party is practicing malign neglect and allowing the business to continue,’ he noted. 

He said the CCP could stop this business but so far hasn’t done so.