CNN Debate: Walker & Chinese State Visit

Walker Has Urged President Obama To Cancel The Chinese State Visit Due To China’s Cyber Attacks, Militarization In The South China Sea And Persecution Of Christians

On August 24, 2015, Walker Called On President Obama To Cancel The Upcoming State Visit By Chinese President Xi Jinping, Saying “Obama Should Focus On Holding China Accountable.” “GOP presidential hopeful Scott Walker urged President Obama Monday to cancel next month’s planned state visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping. ‘Americans are struggling to cope with the fall in today’s markets driven in part by China’s slowing economy and the fact that they actively manipulate their economy,” the Wisconsin governor said in a statement. ‘Rather than honoring Chinese President Xi Jinping with an official state visit next month, President Obama should focus on holding China accountable over its increasing attempts to undermine U.S. interests.’” (Donovan Slack, “Scott Walker To Obama: Cancel Chinese State Visit,” USA Today, 8/24/15)

·      Walker: “Given China’s massive cyberattacks against America, its militarization of the South China Sea, continued state interference with its economy, and persistent persecution of Christians and human rights activists, President Obama needs to cancel the state visit.” (Donovan Slack, “Scott Walker To Obama: Cancel Chinese State Visit,” USA Today, 8/24/15)

Walker Said Obama Should Show “Backbone” And Hold China “Accountable.” “In a statement to TIME, Walker said it was time for the Obama administration to hold China ‘accountable’ amid accusations that the country was behind the hack of the U.S. office of personnel management in which more than 20 million records were breached. ‘There’s serious work to be done rather than pomp and circumstance,’ Walker said, encouraging Obama to show ‘backbone.’”(Zeke Miller, “Scott Walker Calls On Obama To Cancel Chinese State Visit,” Time, 8/24/15)

Walker Said Honors Such As State Visits Should Only Be Bestowed On Allies And Supporters Of America. “‘Why would we be giving one of our highest things a president can do -- and that is a state dinner for Xi Jinping, the head of China -- at a time when all of these problems are pending out there?’ Scott Walker told reporters following a visit to the Carolina Pregnancy Center in Spartanburg, S.C., on Monday afternoon. ‘We should say those... honors should only be bestowed upon leaders and countries that are allies and supporters of the United States, not just for China, which is a strategic competitor.’" (David Nakamura, “Scott Walker: Obama Should Show ‘Some Backbone’ By Canceling Chinese State Visit,”The Washington Post. 8/24/15)

Walker Believes The U.S. And China Must Remain Trading Partners, But That China Cannot Be Given “A Free Pass On Unfair Trade Practices And The Theft Of Our Intellectual Property.” SCOTT WALKER: “First, we need to support free trade and exert real economic leadership in Asia. As I have said for months, America must be the economic leader in the region. We need a Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal that puts American workers first and levels the playing field. A deal that genuinely opens markets and ensures high standards for an area covering almost 40 percent of the world’s GDP has huge potential to benefit Americans. China is one of our most important trading partners.  But we cannot allow it, or any other nation, a free pass on unfair trade practices and the theft of our intellectual property.  These are not insurmountable issues, and the more we can work together through difficult issues, the more people from both countries will benefit.” (Scott Walker, Op-Ed, “Our China Policy Must Be Based On Strength,” Real Clear Politics, 8/28/15)

Policy Experts And Conservatives Agree That The Chinese State Visit Should Be Canceled

Michael Mazza, Research Fellow In Foreign And Defense Policy Studies At The American Enterprise Institute: “Canceling The Visit Would Make For A Significant Response To China’s Recent Transgressions, And One That Beijing Would Take Seriously.” “Canceling the visit would make for a significant response to China’s recent transgressions, and one that Beijing would take seriously. Importantly, cancellation of the visit would be in accord with American interests and American values. When you catch a burglar in the act, you don’t serve him a hot meal and then send him on his way, loot in tow. And when a dictator comes to town, you don’t toast his health and good fortune. Yet this is precisely the reception Xi Jinping can expect.” (Michael Mazza, “This Is How Scott Walker Wants to Take a Stand Against China,” The National Interest, 8/25/15)

U.S. Senator Tom Cotton On Walker’s Call To Cancel The Chinese State Visit: “I Agree With What Governor Walker Said.” TOM COTTON: “Hugh, I agree with what Governor Walker said. I’ve been mystified as to why President Obama invited Xi Jinping to the United States. China is an adversary in many ways as Governor Walker said in his statement. They continue to engage in cyberattacks against the United States. They’re building militarized islands out of whole cloth in the South China Sea. They’ve manipulated their currency to promote their own economy to the detriment of ours. They’re oppressing Christians at alarming new levels, and I think Governor Walker even mentioned the New York Times scoop from last week about undeclared Chinese agents in the United States trying to intimidate and harass Chinese Americans into returning to the mainland. So I think we should be inviting more of our allies and our would-be allies in the region to the United States for state visits.” (“Senator Tom Cotton On Governor Scott Walker’s Demand That President Obama Cancel President Xi Jinping,” Hugh Hewitt, 8/24/15)

Hugh Hewitt Called Walker’s Position An “Excellent Idea.” “HT: @ZekeJMiller: Excellent idea by @ScottWalker to cancel PRC's state visit by President Xi Jinping:http://time.com/4008784/scott-walker-china-state-visit/ … Other GOPers?” (Hugh Hewitt, Twitter, 8/24/15)

Arthur Waldron, China Specialist Who Teaches International Relations At The University Of Pennsylvania: “In My View The Xi Visit Should Be Canceled, As Should The Abe Visit To Beijing.” (Arthur Waldron, “How Should the U.S. Conduct the Xi Jinping State Visit?,” ChinaFile, 8/18/15)

·      Waldron: “No Red Carpet, No 21-Gun Salute, No State Dinner Until We See Real Change.” (Arthur Waldron, “How Should the U.S. Conduct the Xi Jinping State Visit?,” ChinaFile, 8/18/15)

Perry Link, Professor Emeritus Of East Asian Studies At Princeton University: “No State Dinner Or Multi-Gun Salute.” (Perry Link, “How Should the U.S. Conduct the Xi Jinping State Visit?,” ChinaFile, 8/26/15)