China Slams Mitt, Obama for 'Playing China Card'

"Playing the 'China card' is not inspired, and cannot save the US economy," China's main state-run newspaper warns in an editorial slamming both President Obama and Mitt Romney for competing to see "who can be toughest on China." The People's Daily accuses the candidates of displaying "short-sightedness" by concentrating on trade protectionist measures instead of competing to see who has a more "strategic vision" on US-China ties or "who can strengthen cooperation to resolve US economic problems."

The paper calls it a "tragedy" that the candidates are ignoring America's real economic problems, but predicts that whoever wins will adopt a different stance when the election is over, and they stop "playing to the crowd," Reuters notes. "No matter who wins, once they get into the White House they will have to return to reality, as in the final analysis the United States needs China's cooperation on a great number of issues," the paper notes. "But those vicious words will be a millstone." (More China stories.)