China strategy largely absent from Harris, Trump campaigns

U.S. presidential debate referenced China 13 times, but mostly on tariffs

Former U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Republican and Democratic party presidential nominees, at their first and potentially only debate, in Philadelphia on Sept. 10. (Source photos by AP)

PAK YIU and KEN MORIYASU, Nikkei staff writers

September 13, 2024 03:05 JST

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON -- How the next U.S. president will manage ties with China appears to be a neglected issue in the election or framed narrowly as Beijing's economic threat, despite the two countries having one of the world's most consequential relationships.

During the 105-minute debate on Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump exchanged personal attacks and sparred over topics including the domestic economy, immigration, abortion and on how to handle the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. But the candidates received no question on China or Taiwan from the ABC News hosts.