China says more rivalry expected with Trump in power, the nation speculates on ties

CHINA: China expects more rivalry over trade, technology and security issues with Donald Trump becoming president, but China says it will work together with the United States based on mutual respect. At a press conference in Beijing foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said that their policy towards the US remains consistent. “We will continue to view and handle China-U.S relations in accordance with the principles of mutual respect, peaceful co-existence and win-win cooperation.” Reuters reported that analysts in China expect more fiery rhetoric and crippling tariffs with Trump in power.

Trump’s victory sparks tension in China! 🇨🇳🇺🇸 From Taiwan autonomy to trade wars, Beijing braces for renewed U.S. rivalry. With potential tariffs and tech restrictions, the economic impact could ripple through global markets. pic.twitter.com/g8TKDp7hhd

— Pan Finance (@PanFinanceMag) November 6, 2024

1. A senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Tong Zhao said, “Beijing anticipated a close race in the US election. Although Trump’s victory is not China’s preferred outcome and raises concerns, it is not entirely unexpected.”

“The Chinese leadership will likely strive to maintain an appearance of a cordial personal relationship with Trump, while intensifying efforts to project China’s power and strength” The Director of the Center for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University in Beijing, Da Wei, said Trump’s victory may pose a relatively large challenge to Sino-US relations based on his actions the last time he was President. “Due to Trump’s high unpredictability, I think it is difficult for China to say that there is a fully formed plan to do “x” when Trump comes to power. It also depends on what policies the Trump administration implements.” Trump has proposed tariffs on Chinese imports above 60% and an end to its most favoured nation trading status. China sells more than $400 billion worth of goods to the US every year. “Beijing is particularly wary of a potential revival of the trade war under Trump, especially as China currently faces significant internal economic challenges. “China also expects Trump to accelerate the decoupling of technologies and supply chains, a move that could threaten China’s economic growth and indirectly impact its social and political stability,” said Zhao. As a protective measure China will likely work on achieving more technological and economic self-sufficiency. An assistant professor at the University of Hong Kong, Brian Wong, who studies grand strategy, said that with Trump’s win, China will likely now bolster ties with the Global South, Europe and Northeast Asian countries. Wong said that this was because Trump had a “transactional, isolationist, anti-globalist and anti-multilateral foreign policy.”