Former South Carolina governor and GOP presidential hopeful Nikki Haley on Sunday called Chinese President Xi Jinping a "bad guy."
What Happened: Haley took to Twitter to quote a tweet from Republican National Committee that shared Joe Biden’s comments, highlighting a shift in the current president’s stance towards Chinese leadership. Previously referring to Xi as a “dictator,” Biden’s remarks indicated a stark change in approach.
"Biden on Chinese President Xi Jinping [two weeks after calling him ‘a dictator'],” RNC wrote, sharing Biden's clip from a CNN interview, where he was seen saying, “It’s not that he’s a bad guy or a good guy. The circumstances are enormously complicated.”
"Some things aren't complicated. Xi Jinping is a very bad guy," said Haley in response to that tweet.
Why It Matters: Haley has positioned herself as one of the strongest opponents of China among the Republican presidential candidates in 2024. She has consistently voiced concerns over China’s human rights record and trade policies.
However, Haley’s popularity in the presidential primary surveys is currently low, with only 3% of Republicans indicating their intention to vote for her, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll from June. To distinguish herself in a competitive Republican field, Haley has emphasized foreign policy as her focal point.
Last month, Haley said the U.S. should revoke China’s permanent normal trade relations status until it helped stem the flow of fentanyl, which killed over 80,000 Americans last year. China is a significant producer of precursor chemicals required for manufacturing fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid often smuggled into the U.S. through the Mexican border.
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