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GOP presidential hopeful Scott Walker urged President Obama Monday to cancel next month’s planned state visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
“Americans are struggling to cope with the fall in today’s markets driven in part by China’s slowing economy and the fact that they actively manipulate their economy,” the Wisconsin governor said in a statement. “Rather than honoring Chinese President Xi Jinping with an official state visit next month, President Obama should focus on holding China accountable over its increasing attempts to undermine U.S. interests.”
The Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted nearly 600 points Monday as anxiety mounted following a big sell-off in Shanghai overnight.
“Given China’s massive cyberattacks against America, its militarization of the South China Sea, continued state interference with its economy, and persistent persecution of Christians and human rights activists, President Obama needs to cancel the state visit,” Walker said.
“There’s serious work to be done rather than pomp and circumstance. We need to see some backbone from President Obama on U.S.-China relations.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.
Walker was not the only Republican presidential aspirant to try and capitalize on stock market volatility Monday. Current frontrunner in the polls, Donald Trump, took to social media earlier Monday to blast China.
Businesswoman Carly Fiorina and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie also weighed in.
Walker has drawn criticism in recent months, including from Obama, for his foreign policy stances. As Reuters reported last month, he has been boning up on foreign policy and has taken more aggressive stances on recent campaign stops.
