President Biden’s nominee to head the Commerce Department took a hostile tone on China during Senate confirmation hearings on Tuesday. Gina Raimondo, who is currently serving as the governor of Rhode Island, said she would use tariffs and export restrictions against China.
The Trump Administration left President Biden with tariffs on Chinese goods and export restrictions on a list of Chinese firms over alleged military ties. “I intend to use all those tools to the fullest extent possible,” Raimondo said of the tariffs and export restrictions.
Raimondo said that if confirmed, she will be “very aggressive to help Americans compete against the unfair practices of China.” Her comments are another sign that the new administration’s policy on Beijing will not be much different than the previous one’s.
During confirmation hearings last week, several Biden nominees also made it clear that the new administration will maintain a hostile stance on China. Recently confirmed Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Trump was “right in taking a tougher approach to China.”