Election guide: the candidates on human rights in China
Compare what Trump and Harris have said on this topic
Here is a guide comparing what Republican Party presidential nominee Donald Trump and Democratic Party presidential nominee Kamala Harris have said on human rights in China.
Tiananmen Square massacre
TRUMP said of the Chinese Communist Party’s brutal crackdown on student protestors in 1989: “When the students poured into Tiananmen Square, the Chinese government almost blew it. Then they were vicious, they were horrible, but they put it down with strength. That shows you the power of strength. Our country is right now perceived as weak.”
HARRIS has never expressed approval of the Tiananmen Square massacre.
Uyghurs
TRUMP reportedly told Xi Jinping that putting Uyghurs in concentration camps was “exactly the right thing to do.”
HARRIS has never expressed support for putting Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in mass detention camps.
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TRUMP said he was wary of imposing sanctions against CCP officials responsible for human rights abuses and genocide against Uyghurs because the sanctions could derail negotiations on a trade deal.
HARRIS has never said she favored linking accountability for human rights violations to progress on trade or economic issues.
Hong Kong
TRUMP said “I stand with Hong Kong” but also qualified it in terms of his desire for a trade deal. He reportedly said he did not want to “get involved” when widespread protests broke out in Hong Kong in 2019.
HARRIS has never said she would qualify accountability for the crackdown in Hong Kong to progress on trade or economic issues, and has never said the United States should not get involved in Hong Kong.
Xi Jinping
TRUMP said “[Xi Jinping] controls 1.4 billion people with an iron fist. I mean, he’s a brilliant guy.”
HARRIS has never admired Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping for controlling people with an iron fist.
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TRUMP said " Xi Jinping]’s now president for life. And he's great. And look, he was able to do that. I think it's great. Maybe we'll have to give that a shot someday."
HARRIS has never envied Xi Jinping’s ability to rule in perpetuity.
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TRUMP said “I know President Xi of China very well. He is a great leader who very much has the respect of his people.”
HARRIS has never called Xi Jinping a great leader or claimed the people of China respect him.
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TRUMP said “I had President Xi, who’s a friend of mine, who’s a very, very good man. And I don’t blame China.”
HARRIS has never called Xi Jinping a very good man.
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TRUMP said “And I like President Xi a lot, he was a very good friend of mine during my term.”
HARRIS has never referred to Xi Jinping a very good friend.