Ohio's Vivek Ramaswamy calls for 'new declaration of independence' from China

Describing China as the adversary of America, Ohio presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy laid out his plan Thursday for a new "declaration of independence" from the communist country.

"What we are laying out here is a clear and pragmatic vision for how we will actually, finally at long last declare economic independence from China while actually advancing American prosperity at home," the biotech investor turned presidential candidate told a crowd gathered at Axium Packaging in New Albany, near his suburban Columbus home.

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To do this, Ramaswamy gave four steps he would take if elected president:

• Declare "independence from the climate change agenda" that Ramaswamy described as both a "farce" and "hoax."

• Achieve independence from Taiwan by increasing production of U.S. semiconductors, the "little chips" that power our phones, satellite systems, medical devices and other communication devices.

• Increase military spending to "defend our own homeland."

• Move away from Chinese-controlled pharmaceutical supply chains out of concern that China "could lace our legal pharmaceutical supply chain with poison, including fentanyl."

The first major company Ramaswamy founded had a Chinese subsidiary, but the business quietly exited China as "his eyes were opened to the real risks of doing business there." His next major business, Strive, was based in Columbus and was committed to not doing business in China.

"I think the problem is the U.S. government whose job it is to actually look after U.S. security interests," Ramaswamy said. "We can't rely on companies to do it. That's the job of a U.S. president, that's the role I'm running for, and that's why I'm able to say, in an unencumbered way, what many other people who are captured by business interests cannot. We have to declare economic independence from China."

Ramaswamy has surged in the Republican presidential primary race after his performance in the first debate last month. A new CNN poll has him second in New Hampshire, ahead of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The next debate is Sept. 27 in California.

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The 38-year-old has positioned himself as a vocal supporter and heir apparent to former President Donald Trump's brash style of "tell it like it is" politics. He's promised to pardon Trump if he wins; proposed raising the legal voting age to 25 unless voters can pass a citizenship test or serve in the U.S. military; and would expand fracking, coal and nuclear energy to spur economic growth.

Anna Staver and Kayla Bennett are reporters for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Vivek Ramaswamy calls for tech, pharmaceutical independence from China