{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-warn-chinese-government-against-violent-crackdown-on-protesters", "Collins, King Warn Chinese Government Against Violent Crackdown on Protesters", "2022-12-02", "2022", "2022-12", "Independent", "Senate", "ME", "Angus S. King, Jr.", "K000383", "www.king.senate.gov", "angusking", "https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/table", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, members of the Senate Intelligence Committee, are warning the Chinese Communist Party against a violent crackdown on the country\u2019s growing pro-freedom protests. In a bipartisan letter with nearly half of their Senate colleagues, Collins and King tell the Chinese ambassador to the United States that violence by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) against the peaceful protesters will cause extraordinary damage to the US-China relationship.\n\n\u201cThe protests in China, and the subsequent crackdowns, are clear evidence that the Chinese Communist Party is not listening to the will of its people. The United States Senate understands the importance of democratic principles\u2014like freedom of expression and freedom of speech\u2014and will always stand up for those values,\u201d said Senators Collins and King. \u201cWe applaud the Chinese people for their bravery and urge the Chinese Communist Party to refrain from violent crackdowns on peaceful protesters as we have seen in the past.\u201d\n\nThe letter is signed by a bipartisan group of forty-two Senators.\n\nThe full text of the letter can be read HERE and below.\n\n###\n\nAmbassador Qin Gang\n\nEmbassy of the People\u2019s Republic of China\n\n3505 International Place NW\n\nWashington, D.C. 20008-3025\n\nDear Ambassador Qin:\n\nWe are following the current peaceful protests in China over your government\u2019s policies very carefully. We are also closely watching the Chinese Communist Party\u2019s (CCP) reaction to them.\n\nIn 1989, the Chinese Communist Party and People\u2019s Liberation Army undertook a violent crackdown on peacefully protesting Chinese students, killing hundreds, if not thousands.\n\nWe caution the CCP in the strongest possible terms not to once again undertake a violent crackdown on peaceful Chinese protesters who simply want more freedom. If that happens, we believe there will be grave consequences for the US-China relationship, causing extraordinary damage to it.\n\nSincerely,", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:32:05Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/collins-king-warn-chinese-government-against-violent-crackdown-on-protesters"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7722750306129456, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}