‘China Is Preparing for War’: Tom Cotton Urges Aggressive Cutbacks to China’s Privileges

DAILY CALLER NEWS FOUNDATION—Republican Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton appeared on Fox Business Thursday and called for significant cutbacks in the economic privileges currently extended to China, including stripping it of its “Most Favored Nation” status.

During an appearance on “Kudlow,” Cotton said there is an urgent need for the U.S. to reassess its approach toward China’s strategic economic maneuvers. He outlined what he said are the various strategies China employs to infiltrate the Western Hemisphere, including its efforts to establish influence near the Panama Canal and ventures into Greenland and the Arctic Circle.

“China is waging an economic world war, primarily against the United States, and China is preparing for war. Part of that has been the inroads they’ve been trying to make into the Western Hemisphere by having Chinese-influenced or controlled businesses near the Panama Canal, trying to get inroads in Greenland,” Cotton said.

Cotton said there are advantages that the “Most Favored Nation” status grants China within the World Trade Organization, allowing it to impose high tariffs on U.S. goods while exporting its products to the U.S. market at damagingly low prices.

“That’s why the president has stressed the relationship that we have with Greenland, with the Panama Canal. That’s why I’ve got legislation, for instance, to withdraw China’s permanent Most Favored Nation status, which helps super-power or supercharge China’s economy over the last 25 years,” Cotton said.

Cotton said the United States needs to take the threat that China poses right now “to our way of life, to you and to your family.”

Beijing reportedly started preparing for trade talks with the U.S. government soon after President Donald Trump declared a new set of tariffs. Before taking office, Trump said that he had a productive phone call with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, discussing fentanyl, trade, and other issues.

Concerns are increasing over the threat that China poses to U.S. national security as Beijing continues to seek greater global influence. Additionally, in recent years, there has been a significant number of Chinese nationals trying to enter the U.S. illegally.

During his first term, Trump implemented strict trade restrictions on various Chinese imports after raising tariffs up to 30% on $250 billion of Chinese imports, in addition to implementing an additional 15% tariff on another $300 billion.

Originally published by the Daily Caller News Foundation