Former Trump advisers to testify in House hearing on China

Updated: Feb 28, 2023 / 12:26 PM CST

FILE – An American flag is flown next to the Chinese national emblem during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Nov. 9, 2017. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has postponed a planned high-stakes weekend diplomatic trip to China as the Biden administration weighs a broader response to the discovery of a high-altitude Chinese balloon flying over sensitive sites in the western United States, a U.S. official said Friday.(AP Photo/Andy Wong, File)

WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — The newly formed House Select Committee will hold its first hearing next Tuesday featuring four high-profile witnesses to help chart a new approach to U.S.-China relations.

Chairman Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin, the panel’s top Republican, confirmed to NewsNation Thursday that the witnesses are:

H.R. McMaster, the former national security adviser to former Pres. Donald Trump
Matt Pottinger, the Trump administration’s former NCS Defense official China expert
Ton Yi, a former secretary to one of China’s leading dissidents
Wei Jingsheng, a Chinese human rights activist
Scott Paul, president of the Alliance for Manufacturing in America

Gallagher’s witness list is aimed at proving his panel’s commitment to leading a serious, bipartisan investigation that could result in substantial legislative action, sources familiar with the hearing told CNN.

The committee is pushing to rise above partisan battles over which party is strong enough to confront the threat posed by Beijing.

It’s a goal made more complicated by rising anti-Asian attacks in the U.S., a Chinese spy balloon that has captured public attention and partisan tensions in Congress ahead of a presidential election where President Joe Biden’s handling of Beijing is likely to be an issue.

Gallagher set a lofty goal for the committee, determined to craft policy that can get the backing not only of a congressional majority but also support across the globe.

“We’re going to try and identify what is the bipartisan center of gravity on China-related legislation and policy. The numbers I have in my head are 70 and 70. What is the foundation of a coherent strategy vis-a-vis the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) that 70 percent of Americans can support and 70 percent of the world can support,” he said.

The 24-member panel, so new it still doesn’t have a website, is already confronting its first major obstacle in responding to a brazen, global Chinese balloon spying program. It’s an episode that has led to sharp GOP criticism of Biden.

The committee is expected to host a hearing once a month, members said.

Gallagher said he’s been in discussions with leaders of other panels about, “Who’s having the balloon hearing,” balancing whether jurisdiction should fall to the House Armed Services Committee or the Select Committee on Intelligence.

The Hill contributed to this report.