WASHINGTON — As a senator and vice president, Joe Biden — like politicians from both parties and presidents dating to Ronald Reagan — embraced the idea that the United States could coax China into acting as a “responsible stakeholder.”

As the Democratic presidential nominee, Biden now calls Chinese President Xi Jinping a “thug.”
Until recently, the consensus in Washington held that more trade and dialogue with Beijing would help defuse tensions and eventually bring China into the liberal world order shaped by America. The view from both sides of the aisle has dramatically shifted, and Biden’s evolution reflects that change.

In his bid for the White House, Biden has vowed to stand up to Beijing and accused his opponent, President Donald Trump, of getting “played” by the regime. Trump has painted Biden as “soft” on China and said that as vice president, Biden was part of an administration that failed to hold Beijing accountable.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/would-biden-get-tough-china-n1239203