DeSantis Says US Must 'Declare Independence from China Economically'

If Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) won the 2024 Presidential election, how would he confront China? In a recent Fox News appearance, Gov. DeSantis spoke with Kayleigh McEnany on the subject, saying "We need to reestablish our economic sovereignty" and "declare independence from China economically."

McEnany referred to Representative Carlos Gimenez's (R-FL) March statement that "we must decouple from Communist China," which Gov. DeSantis agreed to, because "we are dependent on China for major parts of our economy."

"We are dependent on China for major parts of our economy. You saw it during COVID, almost everything we needed came from China. So I think we need to reestablish our economic sovereignty. I think we need to produce more critical items here in the United States, and I think they have a huge amount of leverage over us," said DeSantis.

He pointed to various policies put in place over multiple administrations, highlighting China's entry into the World Trade Organization in 2001, which DeSantis claimed: "hollowed out parts of our country."

"When China was put into the World Trade Organization and granted Most Favored Nation status almost 25 years ago, we were told by DC elites that this would make China more free, more democratic, it would make the world better. In reality, it hollowed out parts of our country. It made China very rich, and what does Xi use that money for? To build up more military capacity," DeSantis continued.

Additionally, he warned Chinese President Xi Jinping has "grand ambitions," both in his hemisphere and ours, referencing Chinese talks with Cuba on establishing a spy base on the island.

"So yes, we need to declare independence from China economically, and we need to make sure that we have the ability to project the appropriate strength in the Pacific to work with our allies to deter China," DeSantis posited.

After all, "China understands the language of strength," he added, slamming the Biden Administration for projecting weakness.

Just before his Fox appearance, DeSantis made similar comments on his approach to China at a press conference saying, "They continue to have an inordinate impact on our lives here in America with how much our economy is now dependent on things made in China. You can’t even get the ammunition we would need for a war unless you get stuff from China. You can’t even refurbish our own nuclear arsenal unless you get stuff from China."