China, bone of contention

The US is working with other countries in the Asia Pacific region to meet the challenges being posed by a rising China, President Barack Obama on Tuesday said as he clashed with his Republican challenger Mitt Romney on America’s policy towards the Communist giant. While Obama argued that his administration has taken strong action against alleged illegal trade practices of China and has been trying to work together with it on a host of issues, Romney accused the Obama Administration of not doing enough and vowed to declare China a ‘currency manipulator’ on day one of his presidency.

‘We believe China can be a partner, but we’re also sending a very clear signal that America is a Pacific power, that we are going to have a presence there. We are working with countries in the region to make sure, for example, that ships can pass through, that commerce continues,’ Obama said during the third and final presidential debate in Florida.