Biden Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo Says America Has ‘No Interest’ In Holding ‘China Back’

Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said Thursday that the United States did not want “to hold China down” during a Thursday interview following her trip to that country.

Raimondo spent three days in China meeting with multiple officials, following trips by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. One of Raimondo’s goals was to help promote tourism between the two countries, despite a State Department advisory warming Americans about traveling to China.

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“You know, prior to my visit, I spoke with President Biden to, you know, obviously hear his direction, and what he said in that call, which is what he has said time and time, again, is that we — you know, we — the Chinese people deserve a good economy and prosperity,” Raimondo said during CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street.” “We have no interest to hold China down, to hold China back, to hold the people down.”

“We have an interest to protect our national security, first and foremost,” Raimondo added. “China’s military fusion strategy is very troubling. We have an interest to have a level playing field so that our companies and workers can compete.”

Raimondo also said that the Biden administration was not seeking to “decouple” thee American economy from China during her trip.

“The decoupling of the world’s two largest economies would be destabilizing for the global economy and it would be virtually impossible to undertake,” Raimondo said.

Republican presidential candidates former President Donald Trump and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy have called for tougher action against China on trade.