South Carolina receives masks from China [View all]

COLUMBIA, S.C. — In accepting delivery of 1.5 million surgical masks from China, officials in South Carolina took an opportunity Sunday to express appreciation for the supplies needed to stem the coronavirus outbreak but to also call for a lessening of U.S. reliance on the foreign country.

“We want the masks made in the United States,” U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham said on the tarmac of Greenville-Spartanburg Airport after watching the unloading of the masks from a Boeing aircraft. “We don’t want to ever have to rely on China or anyone else for our basic health care needs.”

Throughout the outbreak, Graham has repeatedly called for a drawdown of U.S. reliance on China, tweeting earlier this month that he wanted the U.S. response to COVID-19 to be “so overwhelming China will change its behavior.” The Republican also told Fox News he felt the U.S. “should send China a bill for the pandemic.”

Noting that he expected a resurgence of the virus in the fall, Graham said Sunday he wanted the U.S. to be “much better prepared” in terms of needed supplies by the time that happens.

Read more: https://www.augustachronicle.com/news/20200426/south-carolina-receives-masks-from-china