Asia security analyst Gordon Chang criticized former Vice President and 2020 contender Joe Biden’s recent comments appearing to downplay the competitive threat China poses to the U.S., in an exclusive interview with Hill TV Monday.
“He’s absolutely incorrect,” Chang declared, adding “you know, one can argue that China doesn’t pose for instance a robust challenge to the US, we can argue that we will prevail. But to say as the vice president said that they’re no competition to the US is just inexplicable.”
Chang’s comments come after Biden mocked President Donald Trump’s position on China at a campaign rally last week saying “China is going to eat our lunch? Come on, man…they can’t even figure out how to deal with the fact that they have this great division between the China Sea and the mountains in the east, I mean in the west.”
Biden continued “they can’t figure out how they’re going to deal with the corruption that exists within the system. I mean, you know, they’re not bad folks, folks. But guess what, they’re not, they’re not competition for us.”
Chang also took issue with Biden’s characterization of Chinese leaders saying “he also said Chinese leaders are good folks, we know those same Chinese leaders are committing crimes against humanity. Locking up 1.1, maybe 3 million Uighurs, in concentration camp-like facilities where a not insubstantial number of them are dying. I just don’t understand why he made that comment.”
Biden walked back his comments Saturday at a campaign fundraiser saying “I don’t suggest China is not a problem. I’m the guy who’s been the toughest on – I’ve spent more time with [Chinese President] Xi Jinping than anybody else, just because the nature of my job,” adding “he’s got problems, he’s got gigantic problems. Doesn’t mean he’s not a threat, doesn’t mean they’re not a threat.”
– Saagar Enjeti
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