Expert says Harris, Trump both present concerns regarding leadership against China
WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - The Biden and Trump administrations have both viewed China as the U.S.’s biggest competitor. Experts say China also represents a national security threat to America on multiple fronts.
And with the election right around the corner, questions remain how each presidential candidate would combat the global superpower.
On the campaign trail, Vice President Kamala Harris has repeatedly said she would make sure, “That America, not China, wins the competition for the 21st century.”
As president, Harris has said the U.S. will beat China by investing “in the competitive advantages that make America the strongest nation on Earth.”
“Which is why, under my plan, we will invest in the industries that built America, like steel, iron, and the great American auto industry,” said Harris last week in Michigan.
It is unclear how different a President Harris would be from President Joe Biden who has viewed China as the country wanting to supplant America as the world’s top power.
Former President Donald Trump has a similar goal.
At the Republican National Convention in July, Trump said, “China, we were beating them at levels that were incredible. And they know it. They know it. We’ll do it again, but we’ll do it even better.”
But how they plan to achieve that goal differs. When he was in office, Trump waged a trade war against China by placing tariffs on different Chinese goods.
It is something he says he would expand if re-elected.
At last month’s presidential debate, Trump said, “I took in billions and billions of dollars, as you know, from China. In fact, they never took the tariff off because it was so much money, they can’t. It would totally destroy everything that they’ve set out to do.”
But George Washington University professor Robert Sutter said he has concerns about both candidates’ ability to lead against China. Sutter said Harris is untested and Trump is too unpredictable.
“We need somebody that’s serious,” said Sutter. “Somebody that’s strategic that can look at this issue and say, “We are in this for the long haul.” They’re out there doing things and they’re challenging us day in and day out. And if you don’t do something about this, you’re going to be on the wrong end of the stick.”
According to the Pew Research Center, eight in 10 Americans have a negative view of China. However, polling also shows it is not a top issue for voters.
Copyright 2024 Gray DC. All rights reserved.