Presidential candidate Donald Trump and the New York Times have recently demonized China for its relationship with Iran, but Sr. Fellow Ivan Eland cautions against such rhetoric. Economically, China is not much of a threat, says Eland. China’s thirst for oil might actually help drive down the price of oil. Criticizing China for human rights violations usually leads to a backlash that harms dissidents. China’s territorial claims in the South China Seas are too far away for the US to be concerned about, says Eland. China is often seen as the evil enemy some politicians in the US need to appear as if they are strong candidates.