“The Vice President’s comments supporting China’s one-child policy completely disregards the human suffering which results from government-forced abortion and gender selection,” Dannenfelser told TheDC. “Rather than pandering to the leaders of a country who routinely violate the dignity of women and children, Vice President Biden should be doing much more than second guessing the policy, he should be outright condemning it.”
This article first appeared online at The Daily Caller on August 22, 2011.
Pro-lifers angered Biden ‘not second-guessing’ China’s one-child policy
By Caroline May
Pro-life advocates are not pleased with comments Vice President Joe Biden made during his appearance at Sichuan University in Chengdu, China, Sunday.
Following his prepared remarks about the U.S. debt, Biden answered a question about how America can reduce deficits and strengthen America’s financial system. His response included a tacit acceptance of China’s one-child policy — a mandate which has resulted in mass abortions, sterilizations and heavy penalties for violators.
In explaining the demographic concerns of funding for future generations, Biden cited the Chinese policy.
“But as I was talking to some of your leaders, you share a similar concern here in China. You have no safety net,” Biden said. “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.”
“So hopefully we can act in a way on a problem that’s much less severe than yours, and maybe we can learn together from how we can do that,” he added.
Upon hearing the remarks Penny Nance, president and CEO of Concerned Women for America told TheDC that Biden is out of touch. (RELATED: Official Chinese documentary reveals military cyberattacks against US)
“Vice President Biden’s approval of China’s one-child policy, which uses forced abortion to enforce the law, crosses the lines of ignorant and wrong. Then to suggest that the United States should learn from China’s policy, like forcing its citizens to have only one child, to help manage debt, is an insult to the basic American values of life and liberty,” Nance said. “Also, Concerned Women for America wants to know if Biden’s position is the official administration’s stance on the one-child policy in China.”
According to Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, Biden should have expressed forceful opposition to the policy.
“The Vice President’s comments supporting China’s one-child policy completely disregards the human suffering which results from government-forced abortion and gender selection,” Dannenfelser told TheDC. “Rather than pandering to the leaders of a country who routinely violate the dignity of women and children, Vice President Biden should be doing much more than second guessing the policy, he should be outright condemning it.”
Reggie Littlejohn, the president of the human rights group Women’s Rights Without Frontiers, told the pro-life publication Life News that she was pleased Biden noted the unsustainable nature of China’s One-Child Policy, but lamented that he did not mention the abuse that has come with it.
“China’s One Child Policy causes more violence to women and girls than any other official policy on earth,” Littlejohn said. “To merely mention the economic consequences is to turn a blind eye to the terrible human suffering caused by forced abortion. Chinese women are literally dragged out of their homes, strapped to tables and forced to abort.”
The White House did not immediately respond to TheDC’s request for the administration’s official stance on China’s One-Child Policy.
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