Government
Trump: ‘China Respected this Country when I was President’ in Fox News Interview
During an exclusive interview with Fox News, Former President Donald Trump stated that President Joe Biden’s administration has been using the wrong approach to tackle China, also warning that what the current administration emulates to Beijing shows “such weakness.”
In September, Biden spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping for the second time. According to the White House, the president clarified that the discussion forms “part of the United States’ ongoing effort to responsibly manage the competition between the United States and the PRC.”
Following the call, the White House revealed that “the two leaders discussed the responsibility of both nations to ensure competition does not veer into conflict.” Additionally, White House officials have stated that they welcome the stiff competition between the U.S. and China.
However, Trump stated that he thinks the current administration’s strategy is not effective.
“I don’t think it is a good way to express it to China,” the former president told Fox News. “It shows such weakness. We have shown such weakness.”
“China respected this country when I was president,” he continued. “China does not respect our country any more. It is very sad.”
Trump then went on to say: “And even that message – that’s not a good message. It’s not an appropriate message.”
During the Trump administration, the former president signed a Phase 1 trade agreement with China back in January 2020. This eased the hostility brewing between the world’s top two largest economies, even amid years and years of complaints that Beijing has had a hand in manipulating its currency and in stealing trade secrets from U.S. firms.
The said agreement contains commitments from Beijing to stop intellectual property theft. It also said Beijing should refrain from manipulating the currency, have a hand in financial services.
Even with the agreement, intelligence officials warned that the Asian superpower still posed a significant security threat to the U.S.
As the Biden administration engages in “competition” with Beijing, it has also warned of the “reality” that China has quickly become “more assertive.” It also said that the Asian superpower can combine its economic, diplomatic, military and technological power to mount a sustained challenge to a stable and open international system.”
Additionally, officials have warned that the said country is the only competitor that is likely capable of becoming a “challenge” to the international system
In October, the CIA announced the creation of the China Mission Center that aims to counter China.
According to CIA Director William Burns, this will address the challenges brought about by the People’s Republic of China. He also noted that “the threat is from the Chinese government, not its people.”
The CIA director also said that the China Mission Center will bring “a whole-of-Agency response” and will “unify the exceptional work CIA is already doing against the key rival.”
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