The Senate has voted to confirm Linda Thomas-Greenfield as the United States’ ambassador to the United Nations despite her controversial remarks in which she praised China’s approach in Africa during a speech she made in 2019.

Fox News reports:

Thomas-Greenfield was confirmed in a 78-20 vote. The timeline for her confirmation had been delayed after Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, used a procedural move to push the Senate Foreign Relations Committee vote from earlier this month.

The speech, excerpts of which were reported by The Washington Post, called Chinese intervention in Africa a “win-win-win situation” in which the communist regime and the U.S. could promote good governance, gender equity and the rule of law.

“I see no reason why China cannot share in those values,” she said. “In fact, China is in a unique position to spread these ideals given its strong footprint on the continent.”

Republicans cited Thomas-Greenfield’s speech as their reason for opposing her confirmation.

“Let’s be clear that Linda Thomas-Greenfield has a record of praising and sympathizing with the Chinese Communist Party. It is not anomaly,” Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., said in a statement. “An Africa expert, between 2013 and 2019 she testified before both chambers of Congress that the U.S. ‘is not competing with China in Africa.’”