Republican Rep. Chris Smith urges Trump to confront Xi about Americans jailed in China

The Washington Times ^ | 9/21/26 | Kerry Picket

[paltz]

With as many as 300 Americans detained in China, where some are subjected to sexual abuse and torture, Rep. Chris Smith is demanding that President Trump make their release a centerpiece of his upcoming summit with China’s President Xi Jinping.

The New Jersey Republican, who co-chairs the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, warned that quiet, piecemeal diplomacy has only emboldened Beijing to keep taking American hostages.

Mr. Smith, who has been chairing hearings with witnesses testifying about people imprisoned and persecuted by the Chinese government, told The Washington Times that China “only recognizes strength.”

He cited his 1994 meeting with Chinese dissident Wei Jingsheng, who warned that Western pleading is held in contempt by the Chinese Communist Party.

“They only recognize one thing, and that is strength. I met with [Wei Jingsheng] in 1994 when he was released briefly in Beijing,” Mr. Smith said.

“They rearrested him. … We worked really hard to make sure he got out, because they were going to kill him. When we, the West, and especially the United States, in any way kowtow … they hold that in contempt.”

Mr. Smith said, “That’s why we have to be firm. Very civil, but very firm. Our hope is that the president will have a very well-defined list … to effectuate the release of these individuals.”

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TOPICS: China; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS:

[frank ballenger]

Reply from Xi: As your honored President Reagan said: We begin bombing in five minutes.

Trump: Okay, okay. It was just a thought.

[sauropod]

/eyeroll

[kaktuskid]

Goodbye Three Gorges Dam then