[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 113 (Thursday, June 18, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S3076]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                 China

  Madam President, now on China, my colleagues know how long I have 
pressed administrations of both parties to be tougher on China's 
rapacious economic policies. For a time, I even praised our current 
President for talking about going after China's trade abuses, but, as 
on so many other issues, President Trump talks a big game and then 
completely folds.
  After a few months of negotiation, President Trump announced his 
phase one trade deal with China, which lifted tariffs on Chinese 
imports in exchange for a few short-term agricultural purchases. It was 
clear at the time that President Trump sold out.
  I argued strenuously with the Trade Representative, Mr. Lighthizer, 
about the phase one deal. And now, as excerpts of Mr. Bolton's book 
hits the press, we see why President Trump caved to China so completely
  The President's former National Security Advisor wrote that President 
Trump decided to drop all of our major demands on China because he 
wanted agricultural purchases from States that would aid his 
reelection. Mr. Bolton alleges that the President wanted the support of 
farmers in key States, so he sold out the national interest for his 
personal political interest. Does it sound familiar, my Senate 
Republican colleagues? Does it sound familiar?
  Ironically, of course, American farmers aren't even getting the 
benefit because President Xi has reneged on purchasing American 
soybeans and wheat. When President Trump was so craven as to bring this 
up, it was a signal to Xi: You can stand strong, and the President will 
not do anything--will not do anything. And that is what happened, so no 
one won. American manufacturing and American jobs lost out in a weak-
kneed deal with China, and then, even the farmers who were supposed to 
get benefit, of course, for Trump's political interests, didn't get any 
benefit.
  While I would have preferred Mr. Bolton to have told these stories 
under oath at the impeachment trial, they are quite illuminating 
nonetheless. It seems he should have titled his book, ``The Real Heart 
of the Deal.''
  President Trump's failure to secure an end to China's predatory 
intellectual property theft is now explained. President Trump's 
ridiculous praise of how Xi handled the coronavirus is now explained. 
President Trump's silence on human rights abuses and the protests in 
Hong Kong is now explained.
  Even more revolting, Mr. Bolton alleges that the President approved 
of President Xi's plan to place up to 1 million Uighurs into 
concentration camps--possibly the largest internment of religious or 
ethnic groups since World War II.
  China is America's competitor to this generation and the next, and 
this President's insecurity, weakness, vanity, and obsessive self-
interest is a threat--a real threat--to our economic security and our 
national security. President Trump cannot be trusted to deal with China 
policy any longer.