Sanders: China had done more to address extreme poverty 'than any country.....

[George II]

Sanders: China had done more to address extreme poverty 'than any country in the history of civilization'

8/27/2019

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) offered praise for China while stating in an interview that be believed the U.S. could have a positive relationship with the country, saying it had made "more progress in addressing extreme poverty than any country in the history of civilization."

The Democratic presidential candidate offered a nuanced view of Beijing, criticizing it for a move toward authoritarianism and stating that it looked out for its own interests first, but also saying it had made progress in helping its own people over the last several decades.

"China is a country that is moving unfortunately in a more authoritarian way in a number of directions,” Sanders told Hill.TV’s Krystal Ball. "But what we have to say about China in fairness to China and it’s leadership is if I’m not mistaken they have made more progress in addressing extreme poverty than any country in the history of civilization, so they’ve done a lot of things for their people.”

Sanders said the the United States would have "hoped that they would move toward a more Democratic form of government," and criticized China for "moving in the opposite direction."

Beijing has come under criticism recently for battles between police and demonstrators in the semi-autonomous city of Hong Kong.

At the same time, Sanders said he did not believe China represented an "existential threat" to the United States.

https://thehill.com/hilltv/rising/458976-sanders-china-had-done-more-to-address-extreme-poverty-than-any-country-in-the

Say what???

[oldsoftie]

1. Totally out of touch. "MOVING"? unfortunately in a more authoritarian way? Huh?

[Tiggeroshii]

2. Except he's right.

China has done more to address extreme poverty and even, climate change than arguably any other country. This doesn't mean they aren't horribly authoritarian, and the means in which they are able to do so has it's drawbacks on a humanitarian level, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't get credit where credit is due. While those are two positives, the human rights crisis in tibet, putting Muslim minorities in concentration camps, forcibly harvesting peoples' organs, etc and leaving hem to die... should also be called out. He was right to praise their developments but assail their demonstrable regression in many ways.

[Voltaire2]

4. Anyone who had traveled to China

in the last ten years knows that the transformation of China is truly stunning.

[Voltaire2]

3. And what exactly is he wrong about?