China Has Long History of Human Rights Abuses

And welcome back to the capital report. I'm Steve Lance. Markets responding to the potential of President Trump making a trade deal at his meeting with the Chinese Communist Party leader Xiinping. Here now to discuss the implications of the president's visit to is Republican Congressman Ron Estes. >> Congressman Ron Estus, thanks so much for joining. >> Thank you. It's good to be here. >> It's great to have you with us. Congressman, so markets seem to be rallying ahead of uh President Trump's meeting with the Chinese Communist Party leader Xiinping. Trump has mentioned preventing China's rear earth uh restrictions, export restrictions that would really disrupt global supply chains. We saw the way the market reacted when China uh floated that possibility. What's your outlook on that situation? Yeah, it really was a a a disruptive thing when China said that several weeks ago. I mean, you know, when we look at how critical earth mineral, rare earth minerals are uh for all the things we want to do going forward, uh it's so important that we have and all countries including China follow free and fair trade practices. I mean, that's that's kind of the point that's made uh uh our economic engine in the world uh grow and continue to grow and continue to help individuals. So I think looking at President Trump's discussions with uh President Z is is looking at you know how how can we help make uh the the economic ties between United States and China stronger. Uh how can we make sure that China practices those and follows those fair trade practices that we've talked about? And I also would hope that he would look and talk about fentanyl and some of the drug uh issues that are so so devastating for so many of our American citizens. Congressman, in February, President Trump did impose uh those tariffs on Beijing over their failure to curb fentinel uh and the precursors that come out of China to make fentinel. He says that China subsidizes companies producing those chemicals and is smuggling them into the United States through Venezuela. Has there been any improvement on this front? And what do you hope to see coming out of the current trade discussions with regard to fentinel? >> Yeah, I think the biggest improvement that we've seen so far is just the enforcement that President Trump's been putting on the border in terms of making sure that uh you know we don't have more people crossing the border illegally and as a result there's less of fentanyl coming into the country uh through those means. uh the the but the overall practice that uh you that China has in providing those precursors and or maybe providing fentanyl itself uh to actually uh use in the smuggling trade is is not characteristic of what you would expect of a good trading partner and and so I I am hopeful that uh as part of these discussions uh that China is willing to to be engaged and say that it's important enough to the Chinese economy that they actually act like a fair trading partner so that we can address those issues and make sure that we we minimize that those negative consequences of things like uh smuggling. >> Another issue I'd like to get your thoughts on is uh the issue of human rights. China recently detaining 30 Christian pastors and folks associated with them. Uh the underground church has been persecuted in China for decades. You have the falling gong spiritual movement who has been targeted by uh this forced organ harvesting allowing that to then spread to the weaguer Muslim population. Any administration uh not just the current one tends to soften its criticism of China's human rights abuses because it is their third rail uh in order to you know get them to sit at the table because often times they'll get up and walk away as soon as that is brought up. What is the cost of us sort of putting human rights on the back burner and what more can uh any administration do to defend those being persecuted for their faith? Yeah, I mean as you mentioned, China has a long history of of uh human rights abuses uh whether it's uh related to Christians, whether it's to the fullon gone or whether it's to the weaguers. uh but also just from a standpoint of of of slave trade practices and using that in their economy and as you said in the past a lot of uh companies a lot of leadership uh in whether it's United States or in other countries around the world uh have backed away because China's uh objected to bringing up commentary about their their human rights abuses. President Trump hasn't done that. I mean, he's been willing to stand up and say, you know, we need to make sure that the that good practices are followed and, you know, been willing to to push forth some of his tariffs and some of his other uh leading points on trade to actually make sure that some of these uh unfair practices are addressed. And so, I I'm look forward to having some uh some good dialogue when when they meet. And ultimately I do think it'll take a long time uh because some of these things I think are built into the Chinese economy and they may have to figure out uh that in their own self best interest is to agree to head in a a right direction and and act the same way that we would expect uh our uh trade partners to react if we want to have uh trading partners that are considered most favored nation status. It would be quite a spectacle if President Trump did raise human rights issues in in the public sphere given the fact that he is a leader like none other. Uh I think we just have to acknowledge that in terms of when he speaks the world listens. We saw that in Argentina perhaps in their recent election. So perhaps it would send earthquakes uh shaking tremors throughout communist China with regard to human rights. >> Yeah, I think it re it really is. President Trump's been he he knows there's going to be heat. I mean, just like other presidents knew there were going to be heat, but they they didn't address it. Whereas President Trump's been willing to step up and say he he was willing to take uh the the slings and arrows, if you would in terms of the criticisms that would come at him, uh but he was willing to address and focus on what's what's the right thing to do. >> Certainly, this president uh has confronted communist China like no other president that we have ever seen. Uh, Congressman Ron Estis, greatly appreciate you joining us. >> Thank you. I appreciate it.