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[webfact]

Pence backs Hong Kong protests in China speech, slams NBA and Nike

By Alexandra Alper and Matt Spetalnick

 

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence attends a news conference at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, October 17, 2019. REUTERS/Huseyin Aldemir

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday accused China of curtailing "rights and liberties" in Hong Kong and blasted U.S. company Nike and the National Basketball Association for falling in line with Beijing in a disagreement over free speech.

 

In a major policy speech on China that touched on an array of disputes ahead of talks with Beijing to ease a trade war, Pence said the United States does not seek confrontation or to "de-couple" from its main economic rival.

 

But he pulled no punches when addressing some of the political rifts between the two countries.

 

Criticizing China's construction of a "surveillance state," and "increasingly provocative" military action, Pence held up Taiwan's Democracy as a better path for Chinese people and took Beijing to task for its handling of pro-democracy protests that have rocked Hong Kong for more than four months.

 

"Hong Kong is a living example of what can happen when China embraces liberty," he said. "And yet, for the last few years, Beijing has increased its interventions in Hong Kong and engaged in actions that curtail the rights and liberties that Hong Kong's people were guaranteed through a binding international agreement."

 

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence sharply criticized Nike and the National Basketball Association for how they handled the aftermath of a highly controversial tweet from Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey in support of protests in Hong Kong. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).

 

He said the United States stands with the protesters in Hong Kong, millions of whom have taken to the streets in sometimes violent clashes over what they see as China's tightening grip.

 

"We stand with you, we are inspired by you. We urge you to stay on the path of non-violent protest," Pence said in his address at a Washington think tank.

 

He also slammed China for its treatment of Muslim Uighurs in the Xinjiang region.

 

Pence directed some of his harshest words at sports apparel giant Nike <NKE.N> and the NBA, which he accused of siding with China's Communist Party over freedom of speech in Hong Kong.

 

The vice president, who is often the face of the Trump administration's tougher policies on China, said the NBA and Nike had failed to defend basketball team Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey, after he tweeted support of Hong Kong protesters earlier this month.

 

"Some of the NBA's biggest players and owners, who routinely exercise their freedom to criticize this country, lose their voices when it comes to the freedom and rights of other peoples," he said.

 

By "siding with the Chinese Communist Party and silencing free speech, the NBA is acting like a wholly owned subsidiary of the authoritarian regime," Pence said.

 

Nike stores in China removed Rockets merchandise after Beijing criticized Morey, Pence noted. "Nike promotes itself as a so-called social-justice champion, but when it comes to Hong Kong, it prefers checking its social conscience at the door," he said.

 

Pence said "far too many American multinational corporations have kowtowed to the lure of China’s money and markets by muzzling not only criticism of the Chinese Communist Party, but even affirmative expressions of American values."

 

Nike, the NBA and the Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the remarks.

 

TRADE TALKS

The closely watched speech set a discordant tone just weeks before a summit in Chile where U.S. President Donald Trump hopes to finalize a partial trade deal with China's Xi Jinping.

 

The S&P 500 U.S. stock index briefly moved lower after his comments.

 

Analysts said Pence's speech appeared aimed at keeping the way open for a trade deal while seeking to convince Trump's support base that he was tough on China going into the 2020 election.

 

Douglas Paal, a China expert with Washington's Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, called it "a superficial and political speech, not a guiding strategic document."

 

Scott Kennedy, of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, saw it as an bid to provide rationale for "policy moves on security, economics and politics which originally were much less coordinated and less integrated."

 

A new round of talks between Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Chinese officials to try to end the bruising trade dispute is set for Friday.

 

The United States launched a trade war with China 15 months ago, alleging unfair trading practices such as theft of U.S. intellectual property and generous industrial subsidies at the expense of foreign competitors.

 

Fears of antagonizing Beijing had prompted the White House to postpone Pence's speech, which was originally scheduled for June, ahead of a meeting Trump and Xi aimed at getting trade talks back on track.

 

Many China watchers had expected Pence to tread lightly on sensitive topics on Thursday, in sharp contrast to the bombastic tone of his first major China policy address a year ago. But some saw signs of a rapprochement as well.

 

"In contrast to the Hudson Institute speech of October 2018, the Vice President's equally hard-hitting Wilson speech offered the beginnings of a positive vision for U.S.-China relations," said Robert Daly of the Kissinger Institute on China.

 

Pence said the United States was "not seeking to contain China's development." "We want a constructive relationship with China’s leaders," he said, calling on Beijing to "seize this unique moment in history to start anew by ending the trade practices that have taken advantage of the American people for far too long."

 

(Reporting by Alexandra Alper, David Lawder and David Brunnstrom in Washington and Daniel Trotta and Melissa Fares in New York; Editing by Alistair Bell)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-10-25

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[animalmagic]

16 minutes ago, car720 said:

I like him.

That's good.....he might be President soon.

[alex8912]

Not a bad speech but I’m sure the negative comments will follow. 

[alex8912]

3 minutes ago, animalmagic said:

That's good.....he might be President soon.

Only in your dreams or nightmares!  You choose. 

[neeray]

40 minutes ago, car720 said:

I like him.

I never did but he just scored points with me on this speech.

[Boon Mee]

55 minutes ago, car720 said:

I like him.

So do quite a lot of people. 

Good job, Mike Pence! ???? 

[Tug]

That’s nice mr vp 

pence but your boss won’t back it up and if he barks at you you will scurry back like a whipped dog

[Berkshire]

Trump: Hey Veep, I'm getting shredded by the media daily for this impeachment nonsense.

Pence: Yes Sir.

Trump: Don't just yes sir me, DO SOMETHING!

Pence:  Yes Sir.

Trump: Just give me a distraction.

Pence:  Yes Sir.

Trump: And it better be good or I'll have Barr indict your ass.

Pence:  Yes Sir, right away Sir.

[Srikcir]

20 minutes ago, Just1Voice said:

Appoints him as VP. 

Pence resignes.

Trump becomes Pres (again).

Appoints Pence as VP

 

Dumb-o-crats commit mass suicide. lol. 

Maybe this is sarcasm as it's constitutionally false.

• The VP is an elected position except in the case when line of succession of the presidency applies.
• Upon Pence becoming president through removal of Trump, there is no VP. Pence has no authority to appoint a VP.
• Pence can nominate a VP running mate in the 2020 election; and should Pence win, his nominated VP becomes the VP.
• If Pence resigns or vacates the presidency office, the line of succession makes Pelosi the president as Speaker of the House. And there will continue to be no VP.

Democrats commit mass celebrations. lol

• Pelosi will fire Trump/Pence cabinet members et al and make her own nominations for Senate approval and/or fill with temporary acting cabinet members et al pending Senate confirmation as did Trump.
• Should Pelosi vacate the presidency office, the line of succession continues down through the Senate-approved and/or temporary Cabinet members.

 

[Srikcir]

9 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

Trump: Hey Veep, I'm getting shredded by the media daily for this impeachment nonsense.

Pence: Yes Sir.

Trump: Don't just yes sir me, DO SOMETHING!

Pence:  Yes Sir.

Trump: Just give me a distraction.

Pence:  Yes Sir.

Trump: And it better be good or I'll have Barr indict your ass.

Pence:  Yes Sir, right away Sir.

Trump to Barr: indict and arrest House Speaker Reps. Pelosi and Adam Schiff, Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee on suspicion of corruption and abuse of power.

Barr: Yes Sir, I have your back.

[Srikcir]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Pence backs Hong Kong protests in China speech

Is Pence running for POTUS?

October 4, 2019:

"During a private phone call in June, President Donald Trump promised Chinese President Xi Jinping that the US would remain quiet on pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong while trade talks continued"

https://edition.cnn.com/2019/10/04/politics/trump-xi-hong-kong-protests/index.html

Or maybe trade talks are dead so Pence can be so openly contrary to Trump's previous commitment to Xi?

[UnkleGoooose]

30 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

Trump: Hey Veep, I'm getting shredded by the media daily for this impeachment nonsense.

Pence: Yes Sir.

Trump: Don't just yes sir me, DO SOMETHING!

Pence:  Yes Sir.

Trump: Just give me a distraction.

Pence:  Yes Sir.

Trump: And it better be good or I'll have Barr indict your ass.

Pence:  Yes Sir, right away Sir.

It's a shame there's not a yawn emoji.

[The Old Bull]

What a two faced <deleted> talking to China about democracy whilst kissing the Saudis ass.

[neeray]

2 hours ago, Just1Voice said:

Trump gets impeached.

Pence becomes Pres. 

Pence pardons Trump. 

Appoints him as VP. 

Pence resignes.

Trump becomes Pres (again).

Appoins Pence as VP

 

Dumb-o-crats commit mass suicide. lol. 

Your scenario is right in line with the Trump MO. Beat the system whatever the hell it takes.

[Baerboxer]

2 hours ago, Just1Voice said:

Trump gets impeached.

Pence becomes Pres. 

Pence pardons Trump. 

Appoints him as VP. 

Pence resignes.

Trump becomes Pres (again).

Appoins Pence as VP

 

Dumb-o-crats commit mass suicide. lol. 

 

Boris BoJo is looking for people with your Machiavellian gift!

[Jingthing]

This isn't easy for me but I agree with Pence on this one.

[Bundooman]

Hahahahahahahahaha!

"We stand with you, we are inspired by you" Says Pence.

 

"Just like we did with the Kurds, understand"?

[Jingthing]

4 minutes ago, Bundooman said:

Hahahahahahahahaha!

"We stand with you, we are inspired by you" Says Pence.

 

"Just like we did with the Kurds, understand"?

Yeah I understand. 

But Pence even though I would never support him as a president is a VICE president. I seriously doubt Pence would have done what 45 did to the Kurds. That was freakish. 

[DrTuner]

Good for him on pointing out the kowtowing that US companies are doing. Hopefully they take a hit on their profit margins for giving into the commies.