Less than 24 hours until the third and
final debate before the 2012 presidential election, set for November 9, and candidates Barack Obama and Mitt Romney
look to be tied.
"The Rise of China and Tomorrow’s World", one of the topics laid out by moderator Bob Schieffer, will likely address the shifting power balance in Asia, but also the different facets to the United States and China's complex economic relationship: US debt owned by China, accusations of
currency manipulation, as well as human rights.
However, voters will go to polls with
only 15 out of 360 minutes through four debates having been given solely to discussion of the most-important relationship between the two nations,
far less than many feel the subject deserves. China not only
figured heavily in campaign ads, but also illustrates one of
the sharpest differences between
the two candidates, showing a Republican who appeals to the labour vote and a Democrat turning to the business community.
While Obama has the advantage of being an incumbent president with an inside view of current foreign policy debates, Romney's China-bashing rhetoric is effective ammunition against Obama, even if there's little reason to believe Romney would
be able to follow through on his tough talk.
Given China's pursuit of free-market capitalism over the past 30 years, it stands to reason that the free trade candidate
is the one Beijing wants:
Traditionally, Republicans have favored free trade, free enterprise, and less regulation -- qualities more or less compatible with China's present state economic philosophy of development, investment, trade, entrepreneurship, and efficiency -- not to mention a shared concern over the economic risk of curbing climate change.
Since the two countries established an official relationship in 1979, their overall relations have been better when Republicans have been in power. The logic is simple: no delusion from the outset, fewer human rights distractions, frank talk, and concrete cooperation whenever possible. This plain dealing tends to stabilize China-U.S. bilateral relations, as it avoids speculation and gaming.