During the APEC meeting between President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping, the Chinese leader suggested, "For two large countries like China or the United States, turning their back on each other is not an option." Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) responded to this statement in an appearance on Fox Business's Varney & Co. that the US should be wary of China due to their history of lying.
"I think we need to be realistic first," said Sen. Scott, "First off, everything that comes out of Xi's mouth is a lie. Ask the people of Taiwan if they feel comfortable that he is not a bully. I was in Taiwan last year, they are worried about him. I was in the Philippines this year, and [Xi] has taken over some of their property with the shoals," he added, referencing ongoing tensions between the two countries over several shoals in the South China Sea.
Sen. Scott then reminded viewers that Xi Jinping is a "bully" abroad, has facilitated fentanyl trafficking into the United States that has claimed thousands of lives, and regularly steals technology from American companies.
Host Stuart Varney asked what he would do to combat China's influence, such as if Scott would ban TikTok "outright."
"Absolutely, it is toxic," Scott answered, "TikTok is toxic to our kids. Look at what they teach our kids versus what they teach kids in China. It is a toxic company."
Varney pointed out that plenty of American companies advertise on TikTok, which could be a political problem. Scott replied, "We have to do what is in the best interest of the American public" and that "I want [Americans] to be safe from the influence of a bully dictator, and so you have got to just be honest with people, but my job it to make sure the American public realizes what they are doing and what the risk is to this country. [China] is building up their military and threatening people all over Asia. They hate our way of life."
From here, Varney inquired on what President Biden should have done at the APEC meeting, to which Scott said he should not have held it in the first place.
"Xi has never complied with anything. Under [former President Donald] Trump, we did a trade deal with him, but he never complied with that. What I think the President ought to be doing now is stay in the Situation Room and see how he gets Americans out of Hamas' hands. We have had 33 Americans killed and at least ten American hostages. And what is he doing to make sure that Americans are protected over there? That is what I would have been spending my time on, not going to see some liar," Scott concluded.
