The new House China Select Committee previewed its agenda for this Congress in a prime-time evening hearing on Tuesday that revealed early partisan fault lines in the body’s legislative agenda.

The hearing — whose witnesses included former deputy national security adviser Matt Pottinger and former national security adviser H.R. McMaster — marked the climax of a full day of intensive congressional scrutiny of China through seven hearings on Tuesday.

A new House committee focused on China held its first hearing Tuesday, sketching out the threat it says Beijing poses to U.S. interests and values and calling for a concerted U.S. government response.

“We may call this a ‘strategic competition,’” said Rep. Mike Gallagher (R., Wis.) chairman of the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, opening the hearing. “But this is not a polite tennis match. This is an existential struggle over what life will look like in the 21st century, and the most fundamental freedoms are at stake.” 

The first hearing held by the House China Select Committee on Tuesday night was disrupted by protestors holding signs reading "China is not our enemy," and "Stop Asian hate." 

Two protesters appearing to be affiliated with the anti-war group "Code Pink" interpreted one of the panelists of the hearing, former National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster, during his opening remarks. 

One woman stood up during McMaster's remarks holding a sign reading "China is not our enemy" was escorted out by Capitol police as she was yelling at committee members.