Karl Rove reacts to Trump's China remarks: Beijing is 'not our enemy, but our adversary and rival'

Former deputy White House chief of staff and Fox News contributor Karl Rove told "Your World" Friday that President Trump must approach China as an adversary, not an enemy after the president announced he would revoke Hong Kong's special status with the United States.

"China is violating the commitment that they made to the world community that there would be one country, China and Hong Kong together, but two systems," Rove told host Neil Cavuto. "A democratic Hong Kong and then a Communist state in mainland China."

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"That would exist for 50 years [after 1997] ... now they are violating that. The president needs to have a measured response."

Rove added that while Trump cannot just allow China to have its way with Hong Kong, he cannot make the mistake of responding too belligerently.

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"[China is] not our enemy, but our adversary and rival," he said, noting Beijing appears to be seeking military supremacy over the western Pacific Ocean and technological supremacy in many sectors.

"They are looking to explicitly knock the U.S. out of our position of dominance. And I think we better wake up and deal with it," he remarked.

"I think [Trump's] are good, measured steps. I hope that there are more. But there is no need to junk the entire relationship. If they do bad things, respond accordingly."