Harris-Trump: tough talk on China but little substance in first US presidential debate
Vice-president accuses Republican of ‘selling out’ to Beijing after he claims tariffs helped raise ‘billions and billions of dollars’
Many analysts judged the vice-president to have come across as calmer and more consistent in contrast to Trump, who appeared more angry and focused on personal attacks.
Registered voters who watched the debate also said Harris had turned in a better performance by 63 per cent to 37 per cent, according to a CNN poll conducted by SSRS.
Although China was not among the main topics of discussion, Trump boasted about the US$200 billion tariffs he imposed on a wide range of goods in 2018, which he claimed had garnered “billions and billions of dollars from China”.
The Republican nominee also vowed to impose more tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles imported from Mexico, and said China will pay a “higher price” as a result of his pledge to impose 60 per cent tariffs on imports.
Joe Biden has largely continued Trump’s trade policies since taking office in 2021 and has imposed a series of trade restrictions designed to curb the development of China’s military power.
