China and the Candidates: Rudy Giuliani

Rudy Giuliani has been an outspoken candidate on many issues like increasing national security, reducing crime, and cutting taxes, and when his comes to China, he advocates an approach of increasing national security by promoting our mutual interest of trade. 

In an essay in the September/October 2007 issue of Foreign Affairs, Giuliani says the U.S. relationship with China "will remain complex for the foreseeable future."  This really isn't an earth-shattering observation, but other elements of his essay are a bit more revealing.  He writes: 

"Even as we work with these countries on economic and security issues, the U.S. government should not be silent about their unhelpful behavior or human rights abuses. Washington should also make clear that only if China and Russia move toward democracy, civil liberties, and an open and uncorrupted economy will they benefit from the vast possibilities available in the world today."

One interesting element in this response is the way he equates China with Russia, rather than addressing the two nations distinctly.  On the other hand, his opinion on both is the same: Washington shouldn't turn a blind eye towards some of the unpleasant acts going on in these countries, but instead, should encourage them towards embracing an open economy democracy.

While this rhetoric could have come from various presidential hopefuls, Giuliani differentiates himself from the other candidates in the way that he emphasizes trade as a key component in national security. 

In an October 16th address to the Republican Jewish Coalition, Giuliani equated "communist China" to the "evil empire" of the Cold War, and stressed the need to promote "self-interest" between the U.S. and China. 

Currently, our mutual trade relationship is an obvious shared interest between the two countries, and Giuliani prefers strengthening trade to a military alternative.  Last October he told supporters in Lebanon, New Hampshire, that China and India have "30, 40, 50 million people coming out of poverty each year, and they're potential customers . . . We want to do business with you.”   

During a recent Republican debate,  Giuliani reiterated his feelings that "we should be thinking like aggressive, entrepreneurial Americans.  What can we sell to China? . . . they need to buy what we have."

Whlie Giuliani seems to be ready to take advantage of a growing number of Chinese consumers, he first needs to sell his ideas to U.S. voters.  We'll soon know whether or not he's successful.