Here's how some Republican presidential candidates think President Barack Obama should deal with Chinese president Xi Jinping. Scott Walker says the White House should cancel next month's state visit to the United States, Xi's first. Marco Rubio advises letting Xi come for low-key working meetings, but not a state visit. Donald Trump wants Obama to take Xi to McDonald's instead of feting him at a lavish official feast. Provoked by the week's China-themed market turmoil, Republicans have been trying to one-up each other with yet-more-aggressive approaches to China. They seem to agree on at least one thing: China-bashing is a vote-getter.
That may be, but their policies are as muddled as their politics are muscular. In a Wall Street Journal op-ed and speech, Rubio said he would increase the Pentagon's budget so the U.S. military can better challenge China in the "air, sea, ground, cyber space and even outer space." Rubio would insist that China follow free-market principles, and he'd bar Chinese officials who violate human rights from getting U.S. visas.
In a similar vein, Walker said his views had hardened in recent weeks because China devalued its currency and had hacked into databases belonging to the U.S. government. Like Rubio, Walker would restore military spending cuts; begin an aggressive shipbuilding program; work more closely with allies Japan, Australia and South Korea; and oppose human-rights violations.