Republican presidential aspirant Nikki Haley on Friday warned that China is the strongest and most disciplined enemy that the United States has ever faced.
In a speech delivered at the Conservative Political Action Conference, she emphasized the need for America to adopt a tough stance on China and hold them accountable for their actions, including the spread of COVID-19 and the illegal distribution of fentanyl across the US border. Haley also criticized President Joe Biden's policies towards China, warning that the country is buying up American land and must be prevented from doing so in the future.
Referring to the Chinese balloon that spent a week flying over the United States and Canada before being shot down off the Atlantic Coast last month, she said: “Never in my life did I think Americans would look at the sky and see a Chinese spy balloon looking back at us. It was a national embarrassment.”
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“Make no mistake: Communist China is the strongest and most disciplined enemy we have ever faced. We need to hold China accountable. Let us start with Covid,” she said.
Haley, a two-term Governor of South Carolina and former US Ambassador to the United Nations, formally launched her 2024 presidential bid last month. She is the only woman currently in the 2024 presidential race and will be fighting against her former boss, former President Donald Trump, during the party primaries.
During her speech, Haley criticized the ruling Democratic Party, President Joe Biden, and Vice President Kamala Harris, accusing them of promoting socialism, weakening the US economy, and wasting taxpayer money. She called for a renewed America that is strong and proud, not weak and woke.
Haley urged her fellow Republicans to vote for the younger generation and emphasized the need for the party to win the confidence of a majority of Americans. She argued that if Republicans want to win, they must stand with her and support her bid for the presidency.
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Haley's speech was welcomed by the audience, who had gathered in the national capital from across the country for the three-day conference. However, some attendees chanted "Trump, Trump, Trump" after she concluded her speech.
Born Nimrata Nikki Randhawa to immigrant Punjabi Sikh parents, Haley is the third Indian-American to run for the US presidency in three consecutive election cycles. Before entering the presidential ballot, she will have to win the Republican Party's presidential primary, which is set to begin in January next year. The next US presidential election is scheduled to be held on November 5, 2024.
In her speech, Haley emphasized the need for America to adopt a tough stance on China, which she described as the strongest and most disciplined enemy that the US has ever faced. She called for China to be held accountable for its actions, including the spread of COVID-19 and the illegal distribution of fentanyl across the US border.
Haley also criticized President Biden's policies towards China, warning that Chinese companies now own more than 380,000 acres of American soil, some of it right next to military bases. She argued that America should never let an enemy buy land in the country and that universities must choose between taking Chinese money or American money, but not both.
Haley's speech highlighted the challenges facing America in its relationship with China, as well as the need for Republicans to win the confidence of a majority of Americans. She called for a renewed America that is strong and proud, not weak and woke, and urged her fellow Republicans to support her bid for the presidency.
