President Donald Trump has sought to blame China for the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, hoping that his tough-on-Beijing record can help him overturn Democratic nominee Joe Biden's lead in the polls.
The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified long-term trends pushing the U.S. and China into conflict. Lawmakers, academics, and journalists were aware of these currents, but the unprecedented disruption of the pandemic has shown voters what is at stake.
While there may be agreement that China is a problem to be addressed, there is not yet a consensus on how to do it.reported encouragement of the CCPFor all the president's personal quirks, his administration is packed with China hawks. It has been tough on Beijing, backing up its aggressive rhetoric with action on trade, territorial disputes, human rights abuses, and China's alleged"Trojan horse" state-linked technology companies.
"I hear from Arizonans all the time: 'Why are my drugs made in China? Why are we relying on them for PPE?' And there's so much more. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz likewise credited the pandemic with shifting perceptions in the U.S."For a long time in Washington, there were apologists for China in both parties," Cruz told"The [CCP's] behavior during the coronavirus pandemic has changed that perception, and I believe the most significant long-term foreign policy consequence of this pandemic is that people on both sides of the political aisle are realizing what a threat communist China is to our national security.
Asked whether Trump was trying to deflect from his own failings, Blackburn thought American voters would give the president credit for restricting travel from China in the early days of the pandemic. McSally wouldn't be drawn on whether Trump had a hand in how the disaster unfolded."I just look at the facts," she said when asked about Trump's role."This isn't just a political game. And that's what my focus is."
McSally said Americans have to stand up to China regardless."We can't afford not to, I guess is the bottom line," she said."China is responsible for their decisions. We're responsible for ours and we have to protect Americans." "Remember, the [Steve] Bannon populist theory of the world revolves around China," one GOP aide who did not wish to be named told."I don't think that any Republican that downplays the threat posed by the Chinese will be taken seriously."Cruz framed the confrontation in the same epic historical terms as Bannon, telling:"China is waging a thousand-year war and for the sake of the free world America needs to win this contest.
Regardless, GOP and Democratic figures know that the China challenge is one that will stretch across parties, across administrations and generations. In the short term, the GOP sees China as a weak spot for Biden."A Biden, Schumer Pelosi power structure is not going to stand up to China," McSally said.
Foreign policy has rarely swung an American presidential election."Unless we're in the middle of a war, foreign relations normally aren't a big part of presidential elections, and I don't think 2020 will be any different," Conant said.
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