Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, did not mention China during their first press interview of the 2024 campaign.
China, a critical foreign policy issue for the United States, was also barely addressed during Harris’ acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. She briefly mentioned China, vaguely stating that “America, not China, wins the competition for the 21st Century.”
It is concerning that CNN did not raise the topic of China during the interview, at least in the 18 minutes of footage released to the public, especially considering China's recent prominence in the news.
On the day of Harris’ interview, Reuters reported on a finding by the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. The report revealed that China-based entities have filed hundreds of patents using research funded by American taxpayers, including data from U.S. agencies that are prohibited from sharing information with China.
This patent issue is particularly significant as the United States and China are currently negotiating the renewal of a science and technology-sharing agreement first established in the 1970s. Critics argue that China benefits far more from this agreement than the U.S.
Recently, the U.S. Justice Department filed new charges against Chinese dissidents living in the United States who were allegedly recruited as spies by the Chinese Ministry of State Security.
China's economy is currently facing serious challenges, making the authoritarian government potentially more dangerous and opportunistic. Rising youth unemployment could lead to civil unrest, which communist regimes often handle harshly.
China is also manipulating the rare-earth minerals market, which is crucial for both American consumer products and military technology.
The Biden-Harris administration’s green energy policies have increased China’s leverage over the American economy. Harris's support for the Green New Deal could exacerbate this dependency, making the U.S. even more reliant on Beijing-dominated mining and refining industries.
China remains a global leader in repressive censorship, a troubling trend as much of the Western world appears to be adopting similar measures. The Western interpretation of "free speech," including its highly politicized approach to combating "disinformation," has become more aligned with China's stance over the past decade. Some argue it is now safer to express dissenting views online in China than in the United Kingdom. This is an issue that American presidential candidates should be prepared to address clearly.
China continues to threaten Taiwan, and tensions are rising with another key U.S. ally, the Philippines. The U.S. government seems to be on autopilot, with current foreign policy efforts including an offer to escort Philippine resupply missions to the disputed Spratly Islands to defend against Chinese aggression.
Additionally, China is intensifying its aggressive actions against Japan and has taken advantage of perceived leadership gaps in the Biden administration to push its agenda. The risk of the United States being drawn into a military conflict in the South China Sea before the November election is increasing.
CNN’s failure to challenge Harris on China policy is even more perplexing given her decision to conduct her first interview with Tim Walz. Walz has spent a significant amount of time in Communist China and has openly praised the Chinese Communist system to American students. He has also portrayed himself as knowledgeable about China policy and argued that China is not a true adversary of the United States. His stance on China raises serious questions, but CNN did not address them.