New US House speaker holds low-profile but mainstream hawkish views on China
- Mike Johnson, little-known Republican from Louisiana, became leader of the House of Representatives on Wednesday
- As a legislator, he does not seem to have prioritised China but his anti-communist stance is standard for Washington, analysts say
Mike Johnson, the little-known Louisiana Republican who was elected speaker of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, can play a key role in shaping US laws on China but what he will do with that power remains uncertain.
Unlike his recent predecessors, Johnson comes to his position without a prominent stance on China.
Republican Kevin McCarthy, before being elected speaker in January, made countering China – including the establishment of a select committee on strategic competition with Beijing – a key part of his campaign.
Democrat Nancy Pelosi came into her second run in the speaker’s office in 2019 with a clear record of opposing trade relations with China until it improved its record on human rights.
Johnson’s stance appears in line with standard hawkish Republican views, analysts say.
