JOHN ROBERTS (CO-ANCHOR): Here's what the latest director of national intelligence threat assessment dated April the 9th, said about China. Quote, “China increasingly is a near-peer competitor, challenging the United States in multiple arenas, especially economically, militarily, and technologically — and is pushing to change global norms.”
Should anyone, senator, be under any illusions that China is — its ultimate goal is anything less than becoming the dominant superpower in the world?
SEN. RON JOHNSON (R-WI): No, because that's exactly what they're stating, and that's how they're acting. And so there can be no illusions at this point. You know, a couple decades ago when we allowed China into the World Trade Organization, you know, we all hoped for the best. We were really counting on the fact that as China became more prosperous, its people would want more consumer goods, and they would just naturally tend toward more freedom and more democracy. But that is not what has happened. It's a totalitarian regime, it has all kinds of human rights abuses against the Uighurs, and other populations. It is a malign actor, and we need to treat it that way.
ROBERTS: You know, there are a lot of concerns, senator, too, that as America appears to be consumed with this idea of woke politics, that China is smirking at us all the way to global dominance. We’ll see what happens.