Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned Thursday against the U.S. miscalculating its policies on China, saying it could lead to a “deeply different” world.
In an appearance on Fox Business’ “Mornings With Maria” Pompeo discussed with host Maria Bartiromo the sanctions he received from China, as well as the hardline policy that former President Donald Trump’s administration took in dealing with China and how that needed to continue under President Joe Biden.
“Eyes have been opened. Even corporate America, in some corners of corporate America, have figured out that you were right to do this pushback that you have been doing,” Bartiromo said. “Sanctioning a former secretary of state is a big deal. Shouldn’t we have the commander-in-chief come out and tell Beijing right up front, ‘You will not sanction Mike Pompeo, you will not sanction former government officials. This is nonsense to us.’ We haven’t heard a peep out of Joe Biden on any of this, is that right?”
“It is the obligation of every administration to protect the previous administration and all the people who were working on behalf of the United States government. I hope they will do that,” Pompeo said. “But, more importantly than protecting myself or others, this is bigger. This policy with China matters to every one of the people who is out there seeking employment. If we get this wrong, Maria, we will live in a world that is so deeply different. We will see these sanctions on our leaders pale in comparison to the pain and the absence of prosperity that will be here in the United States of America if we don’t get this right.”
China announced sanctions against Pompeo and 27 other Trump administration officials on Jan. 20, citing “hatred against China.” The announcement came after Pompeo said the U.S. government considers the crackdown on China’s Uighur population to be a genocide. Under the sanctions, Pompeo is not allowed to enter China or to do any business with China. (RELATED: Democratic Rep. James Clyburn Refuses To Say If China Committed Genocide Against Uighur Muslims)
Pompeo led the Trump administration’s efforts to combat Chinese unfair trade practices and theft of intellectual property from other countries. He also maintained the administration’s criticism over the origins of the coronavirus in the Chinese province of Wuhan and the Chinese government’s subsequent handling of the virus, which many argue led to it spreading around the globe.