Influence and Legacy of Lindsey Graham

Lindsey Graham, the U.S. senator for South Carolina, passed away on Saturday due to a sudden illness, as reported by his office in a statement the following day. The death of this influential Republican figure is receiving notable attention in China, particularly from the Xinhua News Agency. The contest for Graham’s vacant Senate seat is being watched closely, highlighting the impact his death could have on the Republican Party’s ‘hawkish’ wing and the broader American foreign policy landscape under President Donald Trump.

Known for his interventionist conservatism, Graham advocated for a strong U.S. presence globally to counter the rising influence of America’s adversaries. He was an outspoken critic of China’s defense cooperation with Russia and accused Beijing of responsibility for the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. Additionally, Graham warned against the impact of the Chinese Communist Party within American national and state politics.

During his visits across the Pacific region, Graham notably supported U.S. interests in Taiwan and criticized Chinese economic practices, which led to trade disputes during Trump’s administration. Despite ultimately becoming one of Trump’s close allies, Graham had differing perspectives on the U.S.’s global role, according to Ren Yi, a well-known Chinese nationalist commentator. Ren Yi pointed out that Trump favored a multipolar order, whereas Graham, like Joe Biden, supported a unipolar order focused on maintaining U.S. global dominance.

“Graham’s death personifies the accelerated demise of the American unipolar order,” Ren mentioned.

In China, Graham was referred to as America’s ‘triple hawk’ for his hardline stances on Russia, Iran, and China. He staunchly defended Trump’s decision to initiate the Iran war and was a vocal supporter of Israel and Ukraine. During his final public appearance in Kyiv, Graham urged China to leverage its influence for global good alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Chinese state media dubbed Graham the GOP ‘hawk’ of Capitol Hill, highlighting his recent cosponsorship of a bill aimed at economically penalizing China and other purchasers of sanctioned Russian oil and gas. Weibo’s AI summarized search results related to Graham as featuring hostile U.S. legislation, eliciting negative reactions from Chinese netizens and internet personalities.

Hu Xijin, an ex-editor of China’s Global Times tabloid, remarked on X that Graham, despite not being widely known among ordinary Chinese citizens, was frequently mentioned in China and not well-received by the public.

In supporting Taiwan, Graham never formally opposed the U.S.’s ambiguous stance on potential military involvement in the Taiwan Strait but emphasized bipartisan congressional support for Taipei. Chinese state media frequently criticized him for advocating security ties between the U.S. and Taiwan. In 2022, Graham urged Taiwan’s then-President Tsai Ing-wen to purchase South Carolina-made Boeing jets, which she did, fostering deeper economic ties to sustain U.S. support.

Graham proposed legislation allocating aid to Taiwan and designating it as a major non-NATO ally to expediate arms sales. Following Trump’s summit in Beijing with Xi Jinping, Graham advised doubling down U.S. support for Taiwan, addressing concerns of conflict.

“If you give an inch on Taiwan, I think they’ll take a mile,” Graham stated, emphasizing the desire to maintain status quo without conflict.

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te expressed sorrow over Graham’s passing, echoed by former leader Tsai who hailed him as a ‘true friend of Taiwan’ and a defender of democracy.

In recognition of Graham’s service, Trump announced on Truth Social that U.S. flags would be flown at half-mast for a week. Despite his vocal critiques, Lindsey Graham was never sanctioned by China.