Question: What is your position on permanent normal trade relations with China? Should trade be linked to human rights improvements in Tibet, and lessening of religious persecution by Beijing? How would your administration react if China invaded Taiwan?
Submitted from Kelly of Worcester, Massachusetts through USATODAY.com (10/18/00)
Answer from Patrick J. Buchanan:
Ending The Appeasement Of China
We must neither ignore nor isolate China...
...but we cannot embrace as a "strategic partner" an expansionist power that persecutes dissidents, perverts our elections, plunders our nuclear arsenal, and targets our cities.
China's ongoing oppression of women, Christians, Tibetans and political dissidents is an affront to American values, but instead of shaming the regime, the Clinton-Gore Administration persists in its failed policy of appeasement.
In the last decade, we have allowed Beijing to run up $300 billion trade surpluses. Our trade concessions have given China the second largest hoard of hard currency in the world -- $150 billion, yet we still provide Beijing with World Bank and Asian Development Bank loans and permit the purchase of our latest technology.
As President I will:
Call on Congress to rescind PNTR, and require that all Chinese imports be taxed at the same rate China imposes on goods from the U.S.A.
Block the transfer of any new high-tech military technology.
Maintain U.S. economic leverage over Beijing by opposing the admission of China to the World Trade Organization.
With regard to Taiwan, I would make it clear to China that if they go after Taiwan militarily -- fire missiles at them, attack them, or try to blockade them -- they would end up in a clash with the United States of America. China would lose all of the benefits of trade and diplomatic relations with us. I would let them know that they are at risk of a military clash with the United States. However, I would not give an absolute guaranty to Taiwan that, if attacked, we would go to war with China.
Related Readings
A Time for Truth About China
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