China and the United States

The Hill reports on the ad we saw in class yesterday:

The actress featured in a Senate campaign ad for former Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich.) that prompted accusations of racism has apologized and asked her community for forgiveness.

"I am deeply sorry for any pain that the character I portrayed brought to my communities," Lisa Chan wrote Wednesday on her Facebook page. "I feel horrible about my participation and I am determined to resolve my actions."

Chan appeared in an ad Hoekstra used to attack Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), whom he hopes to unseat in November. The ad features Chan in what appears to be a rice paddy in accented, broken English attesting to how her economy is booming thanks to Stabenow's spending.

"Debbie spend so much American money, you borrow more and more from us," Chan says in the ad. "Your economy get very weak. Ours get very good. We take your jobs. Thank you, Debbie Spend-it-now."

Hoekstra pulled the ad and an associated website after Asian groups and Democrats accused him of promoting a racist portrayal of Asian Americans. The ad appeared to have backfired, as Stabenow expanded her lead over Hoekstra to fourteen points in a poll conducted after the ad was released. 

Tyler Olson, a member of the Iowa House of Representatives and CMC alumnus, writes in his online newsletter:

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping visited Iowa this week. I attended the formal welcome dinner Wednesday evening along with many other legislators, elected officials, members of the Chinese delegation and other leaders from across the state. Vice President Xi’s visit is a big opportunity for Iowa. China is a large trading partner with Iowa and the visit was a chance to deepen our economic ties to one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

Chinese agricultural leaders signed agreements to purchase 317 million bushels of soybeans worth $4.31 billion during their visit to Des Moines. Chinese officials also met with other business leaders and toured manufacturing facilities and a farm while in Iowa. Hopefully the relationships made and strengthened during the future Chinese leader’s visit will be a strong driver for economic growth.