Book Summary
In the book “Seven Things You Can’t Say About China,” Senator Tom Cotton delivers a critical examination of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its multifaceted influence on the United States. Drawing from his experience on the Senate Intelligence Committee, Cotton argues that China’s threat to American freedom is more severe than commonly perceived.
The CCP’s Influence in American Institutions
Cotton asserts that the CCP has infiltrated key American institutions, including academia, media, and big corporations. He points to U.S. universities accepting large donations from China while engaging in self-censorship to avoid offending the regime. The media, he argues, is reluctant to criticize China due to financial ties and access concerns.
🔹 Cotton details how China uses financial leverage to influence American higher education. The CCP has funneled billions of dollars into U.S. universities through Confucius Institutes, direct donations, and research partnerships.
🔹 In return, some universities avoid criticizing China on issues like human rights abuses, military aggression, and economic policies.
🔹 Professors and students who speak out against the CCP often face threats, including cyberattacks, visa denials, or pressure from Chinese student organizations on campus.
💡 Example: In 2019, the University of California, San Diego, faced backlash from Chinese officials after inviting the Dalai Lama to speak. Chinese government agencies responded by cutting off research partnerships with the school.
The Media’s Reluctance to Criticize China
🔹 Cotton accuses major U.S. media organizations of downplaying or ignoring China’s misconduct because of financial incentives.
🔹 He highlights that many major newspapers and TV networks have lucrative business relationships with Chinese companies, making them hesitant to report negatively on the CCP.
🔹 China has also actively bought stakes in American media companies or signed advertising deals with U.S. newspapers to shape coverage in its favor.
💡 Example: The Washington Post and New York Times have accepted paid supplements from China Daily, a state-run propaganda newspaper, disguised as news articles.
Economic Warfare & Intellectual Property Theft
The book emphasizes how China has manipulated global trade through unfair practices like forced technology transfers, state subsidies, and intellectual property theft. Cotton highlights the impact on American workers, citing lost manufacturing jobs and weakened industries due to China’s economic strategies.
🔹 Cotton argues that China has stolen trillions of dollars in intellectual property from American companies through cyberattacks, corporate espionage, and forced technology transfers.
🔹 The CCP has long required U.S. firms to hand over proprietary technology as a condition for doing business in China.
🔹 Chinese state-backed hackers also regularly target American corporations, universities, and government agencies to steal trade secrets.
💡 Example: In 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice indicted two Chinese hackers who had stolen COVID-19 vaccine research from American pharmaceutical companies.
💡 Example: The Chinese telecom giant Huawei was accused of stealing technology from U.S. company Cisco and using it to build its global 5G infrastructure.
China’s Manipulation of Global Trade Rules
🔹 Cotton argues that China pretends to follow free-market principles while heavily subsidizing its own industries to create an unfair advantage.
🔹 The Chinese government pumps billions of dollars into state-owned enterprises (SOEs), allowing them to undercut American competitors.
🔹 Cotton highlights how China dumped steel and solar panels on the global market at artificially low prices, wiping out American manufacturers.
💡 Example: The U.S. steel industry has lost over 75,000 jobs since China began flooding the market with cheap steel.
💡 Example: Chinese solar panel manufacturers drove many U.S. solar companies out of business by selling products below cost—subsidized by the Chinese government.
The Hollowing Out of American Manufacturing
🔹 Cotton criticizes past U.S. leaders for allowing China into the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001, which led to massive outsourcing of American jobs.
🔹 He argues that U.S. companies moved production to China to maximize profits, leaving millions of American workers unemployed.
🔹 The loss of U.S. manufacturing capacity, he warns, has made America dangerously dependent on China for essential goods, including pharmaceuticals and semiconductors.
💡 Example: In 2020, the U.S. faced a shortage of medical supplies and PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic because much of the production had been outsourced to China.
💡 Example: The U.S. semiconductor industry has become reliant on Chinese supply chains, making it vulnerable to disruptions.
China Uses Economic Coercion to Control Other Countries
🔹 Cotton explains that China uses “debt-trap diplomacy” by lending money to developing countries, then seizing strategic assets when they cannot repay the loans.
🔹 The CCP also weaponizes trade relationships, punishing countries that criticize its policies.
💡 Example: When Australia called for an investigation into the origins of COVID-19, China retaliated by imposing heavy tariffs on Australian wine, beef, and barley.
💡 Example: Through its Belt and Road Initiative, China has gained control over ports and infrastructure in countries like Sri Lanka, where it took over the Hambantota Port after Sri Lanka defaulted on Chinese loans.
Cotton argues that the U.S. must take strong action to combat China’s economic warfare, including:
✅ Bringing manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. through tax incentives and subsidies.
✅ Imposing tougher tariffs and sanctions on Chinese companies that engage in unfair trade practices.
✅ Blocking China from acquiring strategic American companies in key sectors like technology and defense.
✅ Strengthening cybersecurity measures to prevent further IP theft by Chinese hackers.
✅ Limiting China’s influence over international financial institutions like the WTO and the IMF.
Hollywood & Cultural Influence
Cotton criticizes Hollywood for allowing Chinese censors to shape movie scripts and prevent negative portrayals of China. He cites examples of self-censorship in major films, like Top Gun: Maverick removing Taiwan’s flag, as proof of how China exerts cultural control even in the U.S.
🔹 Cotton explains that Hollywood studios regularly alter scripts, casting, and content to comply with China’s strict censorship rules to ensure their films can be released in the lucrative Chinese market.
🔹 He argues that this amounts to Hollywood voluntarily serving as an arm of Chinese propaganda rather than standing up for creative freedom.
🔹 American filmmakers often avoid topics that offend the CCP, such as Tibet, Hong Kong, Taiwan, or the Uyghur genocide, to avoid being banned in China.
💡 Example: In Top Gun: Maverick (2022), the original Taiwanese and Japanese flags on Tom Cruise’s flight jacket were removed to appease Chinese authorities.
💡 Example: The 2016 Marvel film Doctor Strange replaced the Tibetan character “The Ancient One” with a Celtic character to avoid angering Beijing, which considers Tibet a sensitive topic.
🔹 Cotton highlights that Chinese companies, including those with ties to the CCP, have heavily invested in Hollywood studios.
🔹 This means that Hollywood executives have financial incentives to produce movies that align with Beijing’s interests and avoid any content that could damage their access to the Chinese market.
🔹 The CCP’s influence extends beyond censorship—Cotton argues that Hollywood actively promotes pro-China themes in some films to appeal to Chinese audiences and regulators.
💡 Example: The 2012 remake of Red Dawn originally depicted China as the villain, but the film was edited in post-production to replace Chinese invaders with North Koreans, to avoid upsetting Beijing.
💡 Example: The 2013 film Iron Man 3 featured extra scenes specifically added for Chinese audiences, starring well-known Chinese actors, even though they had little impact on the plot.
The NBA, Video Games, and the Entertainment Industry’s Submission to China
🔹 Cotton argues that Hollywood is not alone in bowing to Chinese pressure—sports leagues and gaming companies are also guilty of self-censorship.
🔹 The NBA, for example, has strong financial ties to China and has cracked down on players, coaches, and executives who speak out against CCP policies.
🔹 American video game companies have also banned or punished players for criticizing China, proving that this censorship extends beyond movies.
💡 Example: In 2019, Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey tweeted in support of Hong Kong protesters, which led to China pulling NBA games off Chinese television and the NBA apologizing to China.
💡 Example: In 2019, the video game company Blizzard banned a professional gamer from its Hearthstone tournament after he expressed support for Hong Kong’s democracy movement.
Cotton argues that the U.S. must push back against China’s cultural influence by:
✅ Passing laws to limit foreign ownership of American media and entertainment companies.
✅ Encouraging Hollywood to prioritize creative freedom over Chinese market access.
✅ Supporting independent filmmakers who challenge China’s censorship.
✅ Holding U.S. companies accountable for silencing free speech on behalf of the CCP.
Human Rights Violations & Genocide
The book denounces China’s treatment of religious minorities, particularly the Uyghurs in Xinjiang, where the CCP has been accused of running concentration camps and engaging in genocide. Cotton also calls attention to the suppression of Christianity and political dissidents.
Military Expansion & Global Ambitions
Cotton warns about China’s military buildup, especially its nuclear expansion and advancements in hypersonic missile technology. He describes the CCP’s ambitions to dominate the Indo-Pacific and how they are using economic leverage to expand their influence worldwide.
Technological Threats & Data Surveillance
The book highlights how Chinese technology firms, such as Huawei and TikTok, are potential tools for espionage and data collection. Cotton warns that these platforms allow the CCP to access vast amounts of personal data from Americans, posing a national security risk.
🔹 Cotton argues that major U.S. corporations—especially in tech, finance, and retail—have prioritized access to the Chinese market over American values.
🔹 He claims that U.S. companies routinely self-censor or adjust their operations to meet CCP demands, fearing economic retaliation.
🔹 American companies have also helped China develop technologies that enable surveillance, censorship, and human rights abuses.
💡 Example: Apple removed apps used by Hong Kong protestors from the App Store in 2019 after pressure from the Chinese government.
Corporate America’s Complicity
Cotton takes aim at major U.S. corporations, accusing them of prioritizing profit over national security by engaging with China. He criticizes companies that rely on Chinese supply chains, especially those linked to forced labor, and calls for stronger government action to hold businesses accountable.
Key Takeaways & Policy Recommendations
🔹 Economic Decoupling: Cotton advocates for reducing reliance on China for manufacturing and supply chains. He supports reshoring jobs to the U.S. and imposing stronger trade restrictions.
🔹 Banning Chinese Tech: He calls for banning TikTok and other Chinese technology firms from operating in the U.S. due to security concerns.
🔹 Strengthening Alliances: The book emphasizes the need for closer cooperation with allies like Japan, India, and Australia to counter China’s rise.
🔹 Military Preparedness: Cotton pushes for increased defense spending to deter potential Chinese aggression, especially in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.
🔹 Holding China Accountable: He proposes sanctions against Chinese officials responsible for human rights abuses and more aggressive actions against corporations complicit in unethical practices.
🔹 Restoring American Values: Cotton urges U.S. leaders to confront the CCP without fear of political correctness and to reassert American strength globally.
Conclusion
Seven Things You Can’t Say About China presents a stark warning about the dangers posed by the CCP and argues for a more aggressive U.S. response. Cotton believes that America is at a crossroads and must take decisive action to curb China’s influence before it’s too late. The book is a call to arms for policymakers, business leaders, and citizens to recognize the threat and act accordingly.
Book Reviews
The book has garnered attention and sparked discussions across various platforms. On Amazon, it holds a rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars based on 14 customer reviews. One reviewer commended Cotton’s insights, stating, “Tom Cotton remains America’s most important voice on the nature of the threat posed by Communist China and the ways in which we need to stand up to its ambitions.”
Goodreads reflects a more mixed reception, with the book receiving an average rating of 2.33 out of 5 from 3 ratings. As of now, there are no detailed reviews available on the platform.
In his narrative, Cotton critiques prominent tech figures like Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg for their business engagements in China, suggesting that their actions may compromise U.S. security interests. He asserts that these leaders have “shamefully supplicated China’s Communist rulers” to advance their enterprises.
Overall, “Seven Things You Can’t Say About China” aims to shed light on the multifaceted challenges posed by China’s global strategies and urges a proactive response to safeguard American interests.
