Posted on 08/24/2015 10:55:24 PM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, a GOP presidential contender, is calling on President Obama to cancel the upcoming state visit by 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," Walker 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."
His statement came on a turbulent day for markets after Chinese stocks tumbled, setting off a chain reaction across the globe. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1,000 points to start the day before closing at 588 points down.
Walker said he hoped to see "some backbone from President Obama on U.S.-China relations" in response to cyberattacks, currency manipulation and the weakening Chinese economy.
“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,” Walker continued.
“There's serious work to be done rather than pomp and circumstance.”
The U.S. and China have been at odds over a number of issues, in particular the devastating hack on the Office of Personnel Management.
The president is slated to bring up Chinese hacking during the September meeting with Xi. The administration has attributed the OPM hack to China but has taken no public stance on retaliation, despite pressure to respond from lawmakers, 2016 hopefuls and policy experts.
Those calling for retaliation have suggested a wide range of responses, from economic sanctions and currency restrictions to revenge hacks.
Were the words “Big Mac” or “McDonald’s” used?
How dare they! We wouldn't do a thing like that now, would we?
If there are serious issues to be discussed, and Walker seems to think there are, what’s the advantage of cancelling a state visit, and offending the very people you need to negotiate with?
Walker seems to be trying to get out front of this, but all he is doing is making it look like he’s doing it for political gain, and doesn’t quite get the dynamics in play.
Have the visit. Treat the leader well. Raise substantive issues, and set a time-table to discuss and resolve them.
Why cancel, Walker? Give us substance, man. Seems to me an agenda change would be a better option. Maybe some face time with Trump :)
Then there’s this take about Walker from the Fiscal Times.
- - - - - -
“Walker Jumps on Trump’s Ant-China Bandwagon”
“Now, Walker has taken another stance that will, inevitably, lead many to believe that he’s back to grasping at Trump’s coattails. ...
Second, an attack on China once again makes Walker look as though he’s trying to glom on to Trump’s momentum. The real estate billionaire was up early on Monday, railing against China on Fox News and blaming China for the troubles in the U.S. markets. “
http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/2015/08/24/Walker-Jumps-Trump-s-Ant-China-Bandwagon
I didn’t realize that The Donald owns everything, including events.
Thanks for the info.
Here’s a thought. Trump works China over and it thinks, better deal now with Obama.
Obama could play his cards right and get some deals made if he was a smart guy?
I like the idea of taking a firm approach to Chinese currency manipulation.
I don’t think actually cancelling the state visit is a good idea.. but putting the Chinese leader on the spot in a live press conference would be great!
Walker has made a few missteps in his campaign but if he owned up to the mistakes and began acting in a very firm and resolute manner he could recover IMO.
He needs to distance himself from the GOPe and clarify his stance on immigration.
I was a cheerleader for Walker when he was acting as a righteous warrior and facing down the unions in Wis.
My original fav primary candidates were..
1-Cruz
2-Trump
3-Walker
4-Carson
I’d still like to see Walker and Carson serving in some capacity in a Cruz/Trump administration. Any of the above 4 men are an order of magnitude better than dumb old Jeb!
Jeb! is just effing sad :-(
Why would you cancel a State visit?
That makes no sense unless you’re a candidate desperate to say anything that doesn’t have the word “anchor” in it.
Even then, it doesn’t make sense.
[Archie Bunker voice] aw, jeez, not this again
Walker’s not even seriously running for president anymore—he’s just trying to peel off Trump support—as his GOPe puppett masters tell him to.
As if Barry would favor us over them!
You are correct.
January 19, 2011
Business Leaders Make Cut at State Dinner With Hu
"WASHINGTON — Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter made the cut. So did Bill Clinton and his wife, the secretary of state. The heads of Microsoft, Boeing, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase and Walt Disney were on the list. So were the singer Barbra Streisand, the ice skater Michelle Kwan, the cellist Yo-Yo Ma, the architect Maya Lin and the fashion designer Vera Wang.....
The White House was especially private about the planning, for fear of saying or doing something that might offend the Chinese. The theme for the evening was “quintessentially American,” with a menu that featured farm-fresh vegetables, poached Maine lobster, dry-aged rib-eye with buttermilk crisp onions, topped off by old-fashioned apple pie with ice cream. The entertainment, in the White House East Room, was the most quintessential of American music — a parade of jazz greats, including Herbie Hancock.
The guest list was heavy on Chinese-Americans and corporate executives — no surprise, given that President Obama used Mr. Hu’s visit to press China to open its markets to goods made by American companies. One official familiar with the planning of the dinner said there was “definitely a clamoring among business leaders to get in.”.....
Engaging in Statecraft is not about “honoring” another nation. If your candidate can’t figure that out, he should stay in Wisconsin.
“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.”
“Walker said that a [State Dinner] disinvitation would be a diplomatic move that other countries would respect.
“I think China, as others in the world, would actually respect some leadership once and for all from the United States. Part of our problem right now is that they don’t respect us,” Walker said. “...This is sending a clear message that we expect better out of China.”
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