A protester from Code Pink interrupts former US national security adviser H. R. McMaster as he testifies during the first hearing held by the US' House China Select Committee in Washington on February 28, 2023. Photo: VCG

A video capturing a few passionate young Americans confronting a former senior White House official Matthew Pottinger and being forcefully removed from the venue has recently made a splash across social media platforms in China and the US. According to José Vega, the 25-year-old American who was being dragged out of the venue violently, Pottinger made inflammatory remarks accusing China of instigating a potential World War III during his speech at a forum on security issues relating to the Taiwan Straits recently held in New York. Outraged by these false allegations, José and his friends Simon Miller and Robert Castle felt compelled to speak out against Pottinger's divisive rhetoric. 

In an interview with the Global Times, José recalled that he was held in a choke lock and struggled to breathe after that, while Robert was taken to a secluded area and subjected to further aggression.

Despite facing physical violence from security personnel, José and his friends remained steadfast in their commitment to stand up for what they believe in - "working with China, but not war." They were even labeled "Chinese agents" by Pottinger after the incident, a phenomenon that is becoming increasingly common for writing off any criticism of US war policy.

What prompted José and the other two to stand up and angrily rebuke Pottinger?  Involved individuals' accounts to the Global Times revealed another side of the incident - how US' "China hand" incited hatred toward China while voices calling ceasefire were silenced; and how American graduates appealing the US to adhere to the "one-China principle" was labeled a "Chinese agent."

The three young Americans also represent another perspective on the public attitude of ordinary American people toward China - they want cooperation, not hatred.

A US guided-missile destroyer passes through the Taiwan Straits on April 26, 2022. Photo: VCG

'Warmongering puts US into greater nuclear crisis'

On July 1, the "Asia Society" in the US hosted a forum in New York to address the potential for conflicts in the Taiwan Straits. The organizers displayed a divisive stance by listing "China" and "Taiwan" side by side on the poster. Additionally, video clip shows that during his speech, Pottinger, as a panelist, accused the Chinese mainland of destabilizing peace in the Taiwan Straits, potentially escalating tensions to the point of sparking World War III.

"Pottinger, the neoconservative official, spreads lies and is paid to confuse the American public. He is trying to get us into wars and a nuclear confrontation, not just with China, but with Russia as well. His job is to make sure that the American public have some kind of hatred that's unfounded and irrational toward China. and I don't believe that the Chinese are our enemies," José recalled what inspired to stand up for expressing his discontent with the speech.

José said Pottinger did not respond to any points he had made, but rather calling him "paid by code pink," an US anti-war organization, and a "Columbia University student," in order to associate him with the large-scale student protests against US' funding of conflicts in Gaza that across the US campuses. 

"I think it was his way of deflecting the content of what I was actually saying. I presented very valid criticisms of the US based on the fact that the US is the one that's actually been warmongering and trying to get us into World War III, not just with the Chinese mainland through [the Taiwan question], but also with Russia through Ukraine issue. The country is also sending money to Israel to instigate conflicts in the Middle East area," he told the Global Times.

Pottinger worked for Reuters and the Wall Street Journal as correspondent in China for about 10 years. He was sanctioned by Chinese government in 2021 for having "seriously violated" China's sovereignty. He has also endorsed joint US-Philippine resupply missions to China's Ren'ai Jiao (also known as Ren'ai Reef) in the South China Sea, according to the South China Morning Post. Analysts in China believe that Pottinger's typical remarks are nothing but propaganda for an "anti-China united front."  

For another protester Simon Miller, US' misconducts of fully supporting Taiwan like former US House speaker Nancy Pelosi did two years ago by flying to the island of Taiwan is akin to the actions happening with the Philippines. "The Philippines is bringing shipping and construction materials to Chinese-owned islands, which is a clear red line. If these actions continue, it could lead to a scenario of an inevitable nuclear exchange," warned Simon.

"What we're trying to do is to shed a light on the truth so that Americans can see where our policies are heading. If we don't speak up, we could face dire consequences. It's up to the American people to stand up to the government and say, 'This is unacceptable. We can't be pushed closer to World War III and nuclear war,'" Simon emphasized.

José Vega (2) and his friends Simon Miller (1) and Robert Castle (3) interviewed by the Global Times

'Americans do not want hatred, but wish to cooperate'

In the video circulating on the internet, José was pinned down by three security personnel in the hallway and dragged out of the venue. While he desperately cried out, someone was trying to silence him by restricting his airway. Despite appearing composed in an interview with the Global Times, the traumatic experience still cast a dark shadow over him. 

"They like to criticize Russia and China as so-called 'authoritarian governments' and say that the US has freedom and first amendment rights? Well, I exercised my first amendment rights, but I got choked and bruises for it," José said.

Robert Castle, who also intervened during Pottinger's speech, was then brought to an elevator where there were no cameras. Castle told the Global Times that the security members were choking him and almost abusing him when nobody could see what was happening. "It's all because we were all speaking out, saying that we don't want war, as we want peace. And so I was completely caught off guard by the fact that they were handling us in that way."

Simon, who picked up the microphone to question Pottinger's remarks about Taiwan, was also pushed out of the venue by security personnel before he could finish his point.

Simon recalled that when he was dragging out, Pottinger "continued to joke, saying that we were funded by the Communist Party of China." He noted that "It has become too common to write off any criticism of US war policy by accusing us of being Chinese agents. I've been insulted this way for years now, and I'm sure my colleagues have as well. It's almost like the red scare all over again, reminiscent of the two red scares in the 20th century, where any criticism of US policy regarding Vietnam or the Cold War against the Soviet Union was dismissed as communist propaganda. This revival of anti-communist sentiment has deep roots in US history."

This is not the first time that anti-war protesters in the US have been suppressed, blocked, or even arrested for protesting on American politicians' remarks on China-related issues. On March 22, 2023, during a hearing held by the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's speech was repeatedly interrupted by anti-war activists. They called on Blinken to "be a diplomat" and promote peace in Ukraine, rather than being a "warmonger." The signs they held up read "China is not our enemy" and "No war" among others. Then they were immediately escorted out of the venue by police. 

Some netizens commented on social media that the way José was roughly dragged out reminded them of George Floyd, which sparked the "Black Lives Matter" protest movement.

In the introduction of the forum held by the "Asia Society," sensational and highly provocative language was used, including claiming that "there are urgent but feasible steps to deter China from pursuing a catastrophic invasion or blockade of Taiwan - and grave consequences for democracies everywhere if deterrence fails. Pottinger and his coauthors, who include acclaimed military and political leaders and scholars from around the world, have mapped out a workable military strategy for Taiwan, the US, Japan, Australia, and Europe to pursue collectively and with haste to avert a devastating war."

José believes that the panelists at the forum hosted by the "Asia Society," who are perceived as "China experts," harbor prejudices and misconceptions about China. "They seem to believe that only the US and the West have the right to dictate global order, viewing China as a threat due to its massive population of 1.4 billion and its rapid development over the past two decades. While the West is struggling due to its focus on warfare, China has prioritized development and cooperation," José argued.

As a congressional candidate, José has been advocating for the US to collaborate with China in joining the Belt and Road Initiative and participating in BRICS. He pointed out that since George Bush, the US has consistently sought to provoke and destabilize regions that could potentially challenge the so-called rules-based order. "The West and NATO expect countries to adhere to their rules-based order, viewing BRICS as a threat to NATO's dominance. However, BRICS is actually a platform for peaceful cooperation and a new system for engaging with other nations."

José told the Global Times that according to his observations, neither American or Chinese citizens desire war between two countries. People on both sides want to collaborate and work together, rather than engaging in conflict. 

He believes that the US and China can collaborate on the BRICS initiative in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), with both of two countries making advancements in the machine tool sector and collaborating on things like advanced manufacturing that can be used in joint space exploration missions. 

Simon, similarly, stressed to the Global Times that he was hoping to send a message that "real Americans do not hate the Chinese people. They want to cooperate with you."

"Not linking any of these warmongers like Pottinger who are hell-bent on killing you, the real people in the US are those founded on the same principles as the Chinese. If you look at Confucius and the founders of America, you will find a lot of similarities. The way the US has been developing shows that it has been hijacked by rogue elements who hate China and want to continue their dreadful economic system," said Simon. 

"We will try our best to do everything to stop it so that we can cooperate and walk into the future hand in hand," he added.