Sen. Tom Cotton Repeatedly Asks Singaporean CEO If He's A Chinese Communist

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) repeatedly implied at a Senate hearing Wednesday that TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew has ties to the Chinese Communist party, forcing Chew to remind Cotton over and over again that hes not Chinese.

You said today, as you often say, that you live in Singapore. Of what nation are you a citizen? Cotton asked Chew at the committee hearing on childrens online safety. When Chew replied that hes a Singaporean citizen, Cotton continued to press him on his nationality.

Are you a citizen of any other nation? Cotton asked. Have you ever applied for Chinese citizenship? Chew once again replied no to both questions.

Have you ever been a member of the Chinese Communist Party? Cotton asked.

A visibly frustrated Chew responded firmly: Senator, Im Singaporean. No.

But Cotton wouldnt let up. Have you ever been associated or affiliated with Chinese Communist Party? he asked.

Chew replied: No, senator. Again, Im Singaporean.

Neither China nor Singapore allow dual citizenship.

Cotton then repeatedly grilled Chew on Chinese geopolitics, including Chinas treatment of the Uyghur ethnic group and whether he thought Chinese President Xi Jinping was a dictator. Chew said he was there to talk about TikTok. 

Cotton has repeatedly been accused of anti-Asian racism in recent years. In 2020, he suggested that Chinese students be should be banned from studying in the United States out of concern they might be spies a sentiment that critics said was rooted in racial profiling and xenophobia.

Throughout 2020, he also repeatedly referred to COVID-19 as the China virus, all while the U.S. saw a stunning rise in anti-Asian hate crimes. The following year, he made a head-scratching remark saying that a statement from the White House advocating ending systemic racism in the U.S. was approved by the Communist Party of China.