Joe Biden on China's One Child Policy
This week, Vice President Biden delivered remarks on the topic of U.S.-Chinese relations at Sichuan University in Chengdu, China. During a follow up Q&A with Chinese students, Biden was asked how the U.S. plans to reduce its deficits and reassure China of the safety of its assets. Judging by his answer, the question was an uncomfortable one for him.
What we ended up doing is setting up a system whereby we did cut by $1.2 trillion upfront, the deficit over the next 10 years. And we set up a group of senators that have to come up with another $1.2 to $1.7 trillion in savings or automatically there will be cuts that go into effect in January to get those savings. So the savings will be accomplished. But as I was talking to some of your leaders, you share a similar concern here in China. You have no safety net. Your policy has been one which I fully understand -- I’m not second-guessing -- of one child per family. The result being that you’re in a position where one wage earner will be taking care of four retired people. Not sustainable. (Emphasis mine)
Biden has since received fierce criticism from most everyone with a conscience for his acquiescence of the morally reprehensible Chinese one-child policy. Realizing, however, that Biden's unforced error put the entire administration in a very vulnerable position, the Obama administration today issued a "clarification":
“The Obama Administration strongly opposes all aspects of China’s coercive birth limitation policies, including forced abortion and sterilization,” Biden’s spokeswoman Kendra Barkoff told The Daily Caller in an email. “The Vice President believes such practices are repugnant.”
Barkoff explained that Biden was attempting to critique the restrictive system with his comments.
“He also pointed out, in China, that the policy is, as a practical matter, unsustainable,” Barkoff added. “He was arguing against the One Child Policy to a Chinese audience.”
As NRO's Kathryn Jean Lopez quipped, "repugnance certainly didn’t come across in the vice president’s English."
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Jun '10
Re: Joe Biden on China's One Child Policy
That Catholic teaching against abortion, based on actuarial tables and productivity, has certainly rubbed off on Joe. The parish statistician has been busy forming Joe's conscience. That's for sure.
Sep '10
Re: Joe Biden on China's One Child Policy
From his comments it sounds like he opposes the One-Child policy because it does not properly fund the continuing welfare state. He certainly didn't say anything that would make you think he was morally opposed to it.
Aug '10
Re: Joe Biden on China's One Child Policy
Maybe to Biden "kids" is a three-letter word?
May '10
Re: Joe Biden on China's One Child Policy
Let's listen to Uncle Joe use his harsh language to condemn some other "repugnant" policies:
"Your policy has been one which I fully understand -- I’m not second-guessing -- of restricting free expression."
"Your policy has been one which I fully understand -- I’m not second-guessing -- of holding political prisoners."
"Your policy has been one which I fully understand -- I’m not second-guessing -- of suppressing political dissent."
"Your policy has been one which I fully understand -- I’m not second-guessing -- of banning 'heterodox' religions."
Dec '10
Re: Joe Biden on China's One Child Policy
The nice thing about having Joe Biden as VP is if President Obama resigns or is forced out of office, we won't have much trouble having Biden declared mentally incompetent. This wasn't such a plus when Nancy was 2nd in line, but with Boehner as Speaker, things are looking up!
Oct '10
Re: Joe Biden on China's One Child Policy
If you're a global warming believer, you'd be for one child policy (or NO child policy) for third world countries.
Feb '11
Re: Joe Biden on China's One Child Policy
It is depressing to recall that Joe Biden was added to the ticket to provide it with foreign policy gravitas.
May '10
Re: Joe Biden on China's One Child Policy
Let me toss in one precaution. Anything that leads to abortion, gender selection, or forced sterilization, etc. is bad stuff, and ought to be condemned.
However, many posts and comments reflect little knowledge of the actual policy, sometimes reflecting, oh, Catholic doctrine on birth control, etc. as the basis of protest.
This is not a universal law. The problem is that the Eastern coastal cities are 1) prosperous, and 2) crowded. The country is desperate to keep the inland citizens from flooding into Shanghai, Beijing, etc., and emptying out the countryside, sort of like how we want to fence the Southern border to control population flows. And the overall population was high and unsustainable. So they established a policy to try to reduce population growth- hence, one child per family in those crowded areas.
But families outside of those oversubscribed metro regions are allowed to have two kids. And if they have more, the penalties are light- basically a modest fine. There are people out in the villages living their lives in total peace and comfort with six daughters, and no government hassles.
Do we agree with the policy? No- but it is less universal/arbitrary than portrayed.