John Kasich: TPP Trade Deal ‘Critical’

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin — GOP presidential candidate Ohio Gov. John Kasich came out in support of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement during the fourth GOP primary debate hosted by Fox Business, saying the deal is “critical.”

“The trade agreement – the TPP – it’s critical to us not only for economic reasons and for jobs because there’s so many people who are connected to getting jobs because of trade, but it allows us to create not only economic alliances, but also potentially strateigic alliances against the Chinese,” Kasich argued in support of the nearly 6,000 page agreement – longer than Obamacare and the failed Gang of Eight immigration bill combined.

“They’re not our enemy, but they’re certainly not our friend,” Kasich said about China.

Kasich was questioned about cyber attacks and Chinese investments into the U.S.

“China doesn’t own the South China Sea and I give the President some credit for being able to move a naval force in there to let the Chinese know we aren’t going to put up with them anymore,” Kasich charged.