Second, we must rebuild our military strength in Asia. Defense sequestration must end, and our defense budget must return, at a minimum, to the level recommended by former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, so we can once again field a military that is fully equipped to keep the peace. We also need a vigorous shipbuilding program that puts Americans to work in service of our safety.  

Additionally we also need to work more closely with our allies in the region. I have spoken with our Japanese, Australian, and South Korean allies, and they have emphasized the importance of supporting our partners as they modernize their militaries so they can better defend themselves.  

Third, we must stand up for human rights in China.  Here again, the Obama-Clinton worldview abandons our American values. On Secretary Clinton’s first trip to China, she announced that human rights shouldn’t “interfere” with other bilateral issues. The Chinese saw weakness in Clinton’s posture, and—no surprise—cracked down on human rights. 

As I heard when I met with human rights lawyer Chen Guangcheng in June, the future of China is with its brave citizens who are fighting for freedom of speech, working against forced abortion policies, and protecting the country’s 100 million Christians from religious persecution.