As China becomes a political target, AAPI advocates say increased anti-China rhetoric could be dangerous

• As the US midterm primaries near, Republican and Democratic candidates alike have spread anti-China rhetoric.
• Democratic Congressman Tim Ryan of Ohio took aim at China during his midterm election campaign.

In March, US Democratic Congressman Tim Ryan of Ohio released his first television ad titled, "One Word: China," taking direct aim at China and pinning working Ohioans against Chinese industry. In the ad, he claims that China has stolen jobs from the people of Ohio.

"China. It's definitely China. One word, China. It is us versus China," Ryan says in the ad. "China's winning. Workers are losing."

—Tim Ryan (@TimRyan) March 29, 2022

Many Asian American advocacy groups have pushed back on that narrative, telling Insider that anti-China rhetoric is creating tension, particularly toward people of East Asian descent. During a time when hate crimes against Asian Americans are on the rise, advocates say this language is especially dangerous. They also said that Ryan's framing ultimately lets US corporations off the hook and creates a foreign bogeyman.

But while Ryan is the latest politician to espouse anti-China rhetoric, he isn't the only one.

His opponent, Republican J.D. Vance, spoke about how he believes companies like Facebook ad Google have direct financial ties with the Communist party in China. In a speech, he said, "How have we gotten in a position where the greatest country in the world allows a company in bed with China to censor conservatives and control our country?"

Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz, running for a U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania, released an ad titled "China Bro," targeting his opponent David McCormick for his ties with China.

Throughout the pandemic, politicians from both the Republican and Democratic parties have spread anti-China rhetoric related to the Chinese government's domestic economic policies, cultural practices, and broader COVID-19 response.

President Donald Trump infamously called COVID-19 the "Chinese virus."

Studies have connected anti-China rhetoric to the increase in violence against Asian Americans.

"There's a strong relationship between US-China relations and the treatment of Asians in the US domestically," Asian American Studies Professor at San Francisco State University, Dr. Russell M. Jeung, told Insider. "That's a historic pattern that we need to decouple. So we've been saying that it's fair to criticize Chinese policies, but don't attack the people or the culture, or you know, the ethnicity, which is what Tim Ryan is doing. He's making these blanket statements that, therefore, have this sort of deleterious impact on us."

History shows that "us-versus-them" rhetoric is harmful, advocates say.

The first immigration policies of the US were directed at barring Chinese women and laborers from citizenship.

During that time, Chinese workers were brutally targeted. Hundreds of Chinese workers in states like California and Wyoming were massacred in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

World War II brought upon another era of state violence against Asian Americans when an estimated 62% of Japanese Americans were thrown into internment camps.

Direct anti-China sentiment resurfaced after the Chinese Communist Revolution in 1949, impacting people of Japanese, Laotian, Cambodian, Vietnamese and Chinese descent in the US. During the Vietnam War, China supported the North Vietnamese Communist government while the US forces fought alongside the South Vietnamese army.

After the war, most Americans expressed concern about letting Laotian, Cambodian and Vietnamese people resettle in the US, and many who did faced targeted attacks.

In 1979, the US established diplomatic relations with China and normalized trade relations in 2000.

China has become a common political target in recent years.

Anti-China rhetoric by politicians of both parties since 2000 has slowly increased as China's economy has emulated the growth of the US.

The hardline US policy of "containment" toward China is back, with many politicians in Washington focusing their rhetoric and efforts on China's domestic policies, calling out their labor practices, among other policies.

As Jeung states, most AAPI groups have no issue with US politicians criticizing the Chinese government's policies. However, advocates urge politicians to steer away from framing the issue as an "us-versus-them" narrative.

"It's too simplistic and too polarizing. But it works," Russell said. "In Asian American history, politicians make us the enemy because it works. It mobilizes their base."

The polarization has increased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hate crimes against Asian Americans are on the rise; one in five Asian Americans say they experienced a hate incident in the past year.

Attacking China on economic policy shifts blame away from US corporations, US Congresswoman said.

Ryan's ad has been called out by members of his own party, with Democratic Representative Grace Meng of New York publicly asking Ryan to take down the ad.

She tweeted, "This may not have been Tim Ryan's intentions, but this is essentially shifting blame away from American corporations' anti-worker policies and putting a target on the backs of #AAPIs. Take down the ad."

—Grace Meng (@Grace4NY) March 31, 2022

Another US Senator from Ohio, Sherrod Brown, who has endorsed Ryan's campaign, didn't denounce the ad, but did say, "I would've suggested that Tim introduce himself to voters with a more biographical ad," Brown said. "I don't have an opinion on whether it should stay up."

As Meng tweeted, many Asian American advocates told Insider they don't think that Ryan meant to intentionally harm Asian American communities, but they believe he has.

Politicians who choose anti-China or any anti-nationality rhetoric have to pay attention to how their messaging materially impacts those communities at home, Elizabeth Grossman of the AAPI Victory Fund told Insider.

"You have to think about how your message is being received," Grossman told Insider. "That doesn't absolve you of guilt or blame.

"You have to understand that this is a scary time for Asian Americans and the country in particular. You know, I think stepping up and taking responsibility and making sure that you're using rhetoric that will not harm people or will do the least harm is really, really important."

The midterm primaries will take place in Ohio on Tuesday, May 3rd, and in Pennsylvania on May 17th. General elections will be conducted on November 8th.