Gavin Goes to China: Ambitious Newsom Chooses Acclaim over Governing

Gavin Newsom’s trip to China (via Israel) exposes what an unserious but ambitious politician he really is – governing a big state just isn’t fun, after all. Working to be a statesman isn’t as rewarding as being a high-level office holder for Gavin. The timing of his trip was obviously designed to meet with China General Secretary Xi Jinping ahead of President Joe Biden’s scheduled meeting in San Francisco at the APEC Summit next month.

For Newsom, who doth protests he isn’t running for President in 2024, is sure making a lot of moves which serve to elevating his profile but have no benefit at all for his home state of California.

Fortunately for everyone paying attention, Gavin Newsom showed just what Big-Hat-No-Cattle he really is.

Gov. Newsom’s trip to China was sold to the media as a “climate-focused tour,” centered on electric vehicles providing a greener environment free from fossil fuels. However, what Newsom failed to address with China General Secretary Xi Jinping is that China produces more global emissions than any other country on earth. When Newsom declared  that “foundational and fundamental issues” are climate change, it’s curious that he did not inquire about China’s expansion of approximately two new coal plants a week.

Instead he tossed a word salad that should make VP Kamala Harris wince:

“I’m here in expectation, as you suggest, of turning the page, of renewing our friendship and reengaging (on) foundational and fundamental issues that will determine our collective faith in the future,” Newsom said.

That well tossed and generously dressed word salad means absolutely nothing. Newsom’s lips were moving, and sounds were escaping his mouth, but it may as well have been Elvish.

There were many such salad servings from the California Governor during his whirlwind trip to Communist China. Notably, the “Communist” aspect was ignored.

During his Glamour photo shoot at the Great Wall of China, a tone-deaf Newsom claimed building bridges is more important than “walls of the past.” Yet that Great Wall of China is a sign that walls work, for defense and border controls. Construction of the Great Wall began in the 7th Century BC, with most of the construction during the eleventh to thirteenth centuries AD. Walls work, and walls last.

Gavin Newsom should have known better rather than making shallow, flippant comments.

The Great Wall is proof that doing big things takes time — and it requires working together.

We’re continuing to build our partnership with China to tackle the climate crisis together.

It’s time to move beyond the walls of the past to the bridges of the 21st Century. pic.twitter.com/nWO17A6VXi

— Office of the Governor of California (@CAgovernor) October 26, 2023

CNN reported, “China’s emissions are more than double those of the United States, and though the country’s leaders have previously vowed to cut back on carbon, its reliance on coal poses a significant challenge. Throughout 2022, China granted permits for 106 gigawatts of capacity across 82 sites, quadruple the capacity approved in 2021 and equal to starting two large coal power plants each week.”

“We must radically change the way we produce and consume energy, and it won’t be enough if we act alone,” Newsom claimed at the outset of his trip. “This is a global crisis and it requires a global response.” This statement alone should be enough evidence that Newsom doesn’t consider himself just a governor, but a global leader.

“The long-standing partnership – and competition – between California and China has led to measurable progress: electrification of ports, cleaning our air of smog and pollution, and innovating new technologies that build economies. This visit is an opportunity to share our successes, learn from one another and continue driving an ambitious climate agenda,” Newsom said.

The Globe reported, “When it was brought up that China and the United States are not “reliable allies,” Newsom responded to the question by saying ‘You can rely on California. I want you to know, regardless of what happens nationally, sub-nationally, you have a partner in the state of California.’”

Newsom ignored serious issues with China, including technology espionage, and human rights abuses. That Newsom also ignored American allies in the region also speaks volumes.

Why China? What does Newsom really seek from the communist country? Or was this just a photo op trip?

“Though Newsom was in China to promote cooperation in curbing climate change, Chinese officials took the opportunity in welcome speeches ahead of the closed-door meetings to talk about U.S.-China relations,” the AP reported.

Closed-door meetings? What is a governor doing discussing U.S.-China relations? Did he get prior approval from the Biden Administration? Is Newsom the Acting Secretary of State? 

Perhaps the standout moment of his China visit was when Newsom was filmed behind the wheel of the Build Your Dreams (BYD) Company’s newest electric vehicle, the Globe reported. If BYD triggers a memory, Newsom ordered the purchase of $1.4 Billion of masks from Chinese company BYD at outset of the COVID pandemic using taxpayers funds, when the electric bus manufacturer suddenly pivoted to making masks. We still do not know what was behind Newsom ordering the masks from China when there are U.S. mask manufactures.

Newsom’s “Climate focused” trip is also ironic on many levels but the most obvious is the push for electric cars ignores that the power generation comes from coal powered electricity, the rare-earth minerals and materials used in the batteries are “rare,” child labor is used in the extraction process in the Congo and China, and the transportation of electric cars and batteries on huge cargo ships negates any green energy savings. Electric car batteries also catch fire aboard cargo ships causing massive damage, as electric vehicles are more vulnerable and prone to fires.

And wasn’t that electric vehicle technology China uses stolen from the U.S.?

Upon returning, Newsom tweeted how he “ended his weeklong trip to China in Shanghai by touring the most productive Tesla EV plant in the world and launching a new climate partnership with the city. California is proud to continue working with Shanghai to accelerate climate action – cleaning up our ports, cutting emissions from shipping, and speeding up our transition to electric vehicles.”

Governor @GavinNewsom ended his weeklong trip to China in Shanghai by touring the most productive Tesla EV plant in the world and launching a new climate partnership with the city.

California is proud to continue working with Shanghai to accelerate climate action – cleaning up… pic.twitter.com/aPv675YTzy

— Office of the Governor of California (@CAgovernor) October 29, 2023

Remember when Tesla left California for Texas under Newsom’s business-killing COVID policies? We do.

In 2020, Musk took to Twitter and announced he would Sue Alameda County for trying to shut his plant down under Gov. Newsom’s COVID lockdown of “non-essential” businesses: “The unelected & ignorant ‘Interim Health Officer’ of Alameda is acting contrary to the Governor, the President, our Constitutional freedoms & just plain common sense!” Musk Tweeted.

Frankly, this is the final straw. Tesla will now move its HQ and future programs to Texas/Nevada immediately. If we even retain Fremont manufacturing activity at all, it will be dependen on how Tesla is treated in the future. Tesla is the last carmaker left in CA.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 9, 2020

“The billionaire CEO, who employs 10,000 at his Alameda plant, said Tesla would relocate its headquarters and future programs out-of-state,” the Globe reported.

Not long after this news was covered by most California news outlets, then-Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego) showed her true compassion for workers when she Tweeted “F*ck Elon Musk.”

F*ck Elon Musk.

— Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (@LorenaSGonzalez) May 10, 2020

Way to chase more high paying jobs and employees out of California – “Average Tesla Motors Salary $94k..one of the largest manufacturing employers in California..more than 10,000 employees at Fremont factory,” came a particularly astute reply from someone who’s Twitter handle is just “R.”

This is relevant because other than picking fights with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and other red-state governors, Gavin Newsom has not lifted a finger to attract more business to California, nor has he traveled to other states seeking willing businesses… maybe because half of the states in the U.S. Newsom outlawed state travel to over abortion laws, trans laws, and social justice differences.

…Especially as another 817,000 Californians left the state in 2022.

But he traveled to China to work out an agreement – not to bring back our own stolen technology – not to steal some of their manufacturing away – not to challenge China on their dismal human rights violations – not to threaten China if they don’t stop Fentanyl production killing off Americans – not to tout America’s freedoms and especially the First and Second Amendments – No, Newsom went to China wishing he’d get to meet with and be photographed making nice with Communist China’s General Secretary Xi Jinping.

Who in Newsom’s circle thought this was a good idea? Newsom looked like and had all of the relevance of a gnat flicked off of the suit of Communist Leader Xi. As the Globe reported, “This trip was all about Gavin, and no one else.”