US needs to be strong against China: Jeb Bush

Bush lashed out at President Obama for going soft on China

Ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit, top Republican presidential candidates today lashed out at President Barack Obama for going soft on China, saying the US needs to have a strong policy against the communist nation.

"We need to be strong against China. We should use offensive tactics as it relates to cyber security. There should be super sanctions in what President Obama has proposed," Jeb Bush, a leading presidential candidate said during a debate in California.

However, he was against canceling the State Dinner for Xi, hosted by Obama at the White House on September 25.

But his other presidential colleague Scott Walker expressed his opposition to the State Dinner.

"When it comes to China, why would we be giving an official state visit to a country that's been involved in a massive cyber-attack against the United States? That's not just a visit, that's a 21 gun salute on the South Lawn of the White House," Walker said.

Donald Trump reiterated that there is no respect for the US today because of the policies of Obama.

"They have to respect you. He has absolutely no respect for President Obama.

"I would talk to him (Russian President Vladimir Putin). I would get along with him. I may be wrong, in which case I'd probably have to take a different path, but I would get along with a lot of the world leaders that this country is not getting along with," Trump said.

"Having met Vladimir Putin, I wouldn't talk to him at all. What I would do, immediately, is begin rebuilding the Sixth Fleet, I would begin rebuilding the missile defense program in Poland, I would conduct regular, aggressive military exercises in the Baltic states," Carly Fiorina said who favoured a more aggressive approach against Russia.

"I'd probably send a few thousand more troops into Germany. Vladimir Putin would get the message.

"Russia is a bad actor, but Vladimir Putin is someone we should not talk to, because the only way he will stop is to sense strength and resolve on the other side, and we have all of that within our control," she said.

"We do need to be engaged with Russia. It doesn't mean we give them a free pass, or China a free pass, but, to be engaged, to continue to talk. We did throughout the Cold War, and it would be a big mistake not to do it here," Rand Paul said who favoured engagement with both Russia and China.