Kinzinger: Biden Administration Must Be 'Clear-Eyed' About China

The Biden administration's relationship with China is not "great," and it shouldn't be, Rep. Adam Kinzinger said Monday. 

"I think we have to be clear-eyed about what China is and how good they are at manipulating information," the Illinois Republican said on Fox News' "America's Newsroom." "I think with the president coming in and talking about the need for competition, that's good. I think we have to be clear-eyed about what China is and how good they are at manipulating information."

He added that he does like what President Joe Biden said about bringing European allies in to fight the battle against China, rather than for the United States to just fight alone. 

However, Kinzinger said he found it "surprising" that Biden would have referred to China's abuse of its Uighur minority as a cultural "norm." 

"I'm not sure he could have meant that," said Kinzinger. "I think that's for them to clarify in further detail. There are cultural differences. That's what it is in every country. Genocide of a group is nothing that can be excused by cultural differences."

Chinese President Xi Jinping, he continued, says things like the Chinese people are "culturally, morally, ethnically, and racially superior to every country."

Meanwhile, Kinzinger said he is having a "hard time" seeing how the Democrats' $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief plan will pass in Congress, despite their majority. 

"There is a slim majority for the Democrats," he said. "It's possible they can get something like this through [but it's] basically a tie in the Senate. They can't lose one person."

Kinzinger said he's concerned about the legislation failing, as "we have to do something for COVID," but the bill does nothing to encourage schools to open quickly or much when it comes to businesses. 

"There is a lot for state and local government, but we'll be giving to a state like Illinois that has mismanaged its finances for years," said Kinzinger. 

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