The China-bashing has been the trump card for candidates to demonstrate their resolutions of safeguarding the national interests of the United States in presidential elections. Mitt Romney vowed in the campaign that if elected he will declare China as the “currency manipulator" on the first day of taking office.
However, the tones of Romney and Barack Obama on dealing with China in the debates are completely different from what they appear to be.
Obama who was considered to hold a cautious attitude toward China said that China is both an opponent and a potential partner, supposing that it abides by the "rules," and U.S. strategy of "rebalancing" in the Asia-Pacific is to add pressure to China by strengthening its relations with other trade partners.
Romney believes that a nuclear Iran will be the top threat to U.S. national security, and the cooperation, rather than confrontation, is possible between China and the United States, as long as China behaves as a responsible country.
