Democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer said the United States must treat China as a frenemy.
The billionaire businessman appeared on the Democratic primary debate stage at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California, on Thursday night. The moderators asked Steyer how he would respond as president if Chinese military forces moved into Hong Kong.
“The way the United States should be reacting in Hong Kong is by gathering our coalition of democracy and freedom-loving partners and allies to push back,” Steyer said. But, he said, “we actually can’t isolate ourselves from China.
“In fact, we have to work with them as a frenemy: people who disturb us, who we disagree with, but who in effect we are linked to in a world that is ever getting closer,” Steyer said. “And, in fact, if we are going to treat climate as the threat that it is, we are going to have to partner with the Chinese.”
Steyer has centered his campaign for president around climate change, describing it as an “existential” threat. He has committed to spending $100 million of his own money during his campaign and is currently polling at 1.5% in the RealClearPolitics polling average.
