GOP senator gets into nasty Twitter spat with Chinese journalist

Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) got into a heated spat with a Chinese media official on Twitter on Thursday.

The exchange began after Blackburn publicly thanked President Trump on the social media platform for banning cotton produced by forced Uighur labor. Beijing has faced loud international criticism over its treatment of the ethnic minority.

“The U.S. will not support companies that profit off of slave labor,” Blackburn wrote.

Thank you @realDonaldTrump for banning cotton produced by forced Uyghur labor. The U.S. will not support companies that profit off of slave labor.

— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) December 3, 2020

In a subsequent tweet, she added, “China has a 5,000 year history of cheating and stealing. Some things will never change.”

Chen Weihua, chief Washington correspondent of the state-owned China Daily, snapped back at Blackburn, writing, “This is the most racist and ignorant US Senator I have seen,” and calling her a sexist slur.

This is the most racist and ignorant US Senator I have seen. A lifetime bitch.

— Chen Weihua （陈卫华） (@chenweihua) December 3, 2020

“Wonder why the US Congress would have approval rating as low as 9% (according to Gallup)? It is because people like lowlife Marsha Blackburn were there,” Chen added. 

Blackburn then fired back, calling Chen a “puppet” of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

“From Tiananmen Square to Uyghur genocide, Communist China is an expert at slaughtering populations. America will not bow down to sexist communist thugs,” she wrote.

Chen, you’re a puppet in Xi Jinping’s delusional China dream for global domination. From Tiananmen Square to Uyghur genocide, Communist China is an expert at slaughtering populations. America will not bow down to sexist communist thugs. https://t.co/PrRyTlpnFc

— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) December 3, 2020

The Hill has reached out to Blackburn’s office for further comment.