Washington – Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have accused each other of undermining China, which is seen as the biggest geopolitical threat and economic rival to the US
The Trump campaign has suggested, without citing evidence, that Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, may be working for the Chinese. Walz has a long history with the country, since 1989 when he taught English in a Chinese high school. However, he has spent his political career criticizing the Chinese government, particularly its human rights record.
“We all know that Kamala Harris wants to outsource factories and jobs to China, but I don’t expect her to choose to outsource her running mate to China,” Trump’s vice president, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, speaking during a campaign stop in Asheboro, North Carolina, in August.
In September, during that presidential debateHarris argued that Trump “sold us out” to China by “selling American chips to China to help them improve and modernize their military,” and he noted rival praise for Chinese President Xi Jinping. During the Biden administration, the US imposed export controls to help keep American technology out of China. Limits on advanced semiconductors and chip-manufacturing equipment were tightened years later.
But throughout the campaign, Harris has made it clear how China policy differs from President Biden’s. The president has portrayed China as an authoritarian rival seeking to overtake the US as the preeminent global power.
Trump has stressed trade ties, accusing China of taking advantage of the US through its economic policies.
Here is a look at the records of the two candidates and what they said about China.
US-China relations
In his Democratic National Convention speech in August, Harris said the US, not China, “won the competition of the 21st century.” It’s a line he repeated in the debate.
He met briefly with Xi in 2022 in Bangkok amid friction between the two countries. Harris said he stressed the need to “maintain open communication to manage competition between our countries responsibly.”
At interview with “Face the Nation” in 2023, Harris expressed “tension” in relation to the competition between the two countries.
“But that doesn’t mean we’re seeking conflict,” he said, adding that the US-China economic relationship “is not about decoupling — it’s about de-risking.”
“It’s not about pulling out, but to make sure that we protect American interests and that we are leaders in terms of the rules of the road, as opposed to following other rules,” Harris said.
Trump has sought to portray himself as a strong critic of China, while also professing admiration for its leader.
In a recent interview with Fox News host Mark Levin, Trump said he “respects” China and Xi, adding that he would “prefer to have a good relationship with China.” He previously called Xi a “brilliant man” who “ruled 1.4 billion people with an iron fist.”
But Trump has threatened to escalate the trade war with China, floating tariffs of 60% or more on Chinese goods. He has also proposed revoking China’s Most Favored Nation trade status, removing all imports of essential goods from China and banning China from buying US farmland.
During Trump’s first term in the White House, the Justice Department launched the controversial China Initiative, which seeks to spy on China’s economy.
He pledged to continue efforts to prevent China from spying on the US, saying last year that “a reformed FBI and Justice Department will hunt down Chinese spies” and that new visa and travel restrictions would “cut off China’s access to American secrets.”
Taiwan
Harris has reaffirmed US support for Taiwan, an independent island that China considers its territory. The US has a long-standing “One China” policy that does not recognize Taiwan as an independent country, nor does it recognize China’s sovereignty over Taiwan.
During a visit to Japan’s Yokosuka Naval Base in September 2022, Harris said the US opposes “unilateral changes to the status quo.”
“We will continue to support Taiwan’s self-defense, consistent with our long-standing policy,” he said.
He also condemned China’s aggression in the South China Sea, accusing it of “undermining important elements of the international rules-based order” and coercing and intimidating its neighbors.
Trump, however, told Bloomberg Businessweek in July that Taiwan should pay for US protection, accusing it of stealing business from the US chip industry.
Violation of human rights
In the Senate, Harris co-sponsored the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which would improve US-Hong Kong trade relations. The bill was introduced amid China’s crackdown on pro-democracy protests in the former British colony.
Harris also supports the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act. The bill sanctions those responsible for human rights violations against Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic groups in Xinjiang.
Trump signed both into law.
