PNN – At the same time as the election campaign between Joe Biden and Donald Trump in the United States was getting high, the most important annual political event in Beijing was held on Sunday in a shadow of fear regarding the future policies of the United States towards China.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network from the CNN news network, the meeting of Chinese statesmen in Beijing on Saturday was held around the theme of turning this Asian country into a global high-tech powerhouse, in the shadow of the obstacles of the US President Joe Biden’s administration and the fragile relations between the two countries.
At a press conference held on the sidelines of the event, senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi described the US technological barriers to his country as “absurd” and “incomprehensible”. Meanwhile, the observers believe that the discussion behind closed doors about the results of the American elections and its effect on the relations between the two countries is more serious than what is officially reflected in the media.
This concern becomes more serious especially in the case of the return of Donald Trump, the former president of the United States. During his tenure in the White House, Trump had fundamentally changed the relations between the world’s top two economies by imposing economic tariffs and announced that he intends to further increase these tariffs if he returns to the White House.
At the same time, Trump’s return can also affect the current geopolitical approach of the White House against Russia and China; In this way, Trump’s “America First” approach can reduce the pressures of the current government on China and open the field for more Golan of this Asian economic power.
According to Brian Wang, a member of the Center for Contemporary China and the World in Hong Kong, the heads of the foreign relations office of the ruling party in China have been tasked with presenting the scenarios facing China in relation to the possible results of the election in the United States.
The Trump effect
After Trump entered the White House in 2017, Chinese leader Xi Jinping hosted the then US president in Beijing after a warm and cordial visit at Trump’s personal estate.
On the eve of this year’s US presidential election, Trump, while praising Jin Peng in his election campaign in China, is fueling speculations about the possibility of imposing 60% tariffs on Chinese imports and disrupting the normal trade relations of Fimabin. According to the estimate of “Oxford Economics”, this action can lead to a fundamental change in the trade relations between the two countries and reduce China’s share of US imports from one fifth to 3 percent.
Considering the problems facing China, such as falling prices and decreasing demand in the global market, foreign policy analysts such as Shen Dingley believe that China should be afraid of Trump’s return to the White House.
On the other hand, any action in this regard by a potential Trump administration could have serious domestic consequences for the economy and employment in the United States, apart from the fact that this week’s meeting of Chinese statesmen indicated that Beijing is ready to retaliate against any possible scenario.
Chinese companies, on the other hand, can strengthen their markets in Southeast Asia and Latin America and be exempt from heavy tariffs. Another option for Beijing will be to expand relations with Europe and its allies along the “Belt and Road” or “New Silk Road” and finally, due to the expansion of its social media influence, China will be able to increase anti-American propaganda and retaliate against any strict Trump policy.
China betting
Beijing’s displeasure with Trump’s return to the White House does not mean they welcome Joe Biden’s return. Beijing views Biden as a high-level “operator” who has maintained relations with Beijing only with the motivation of global leadership. Xi Jinping and Biden recently held a meeting on the issue of strengthening bilateral relations, during which agreements were reached, including the repair of a high-level military communication line, an achievement that is considered globally in favor of maintaining peace in tense Indo-Pacific relations.
Some of these policies were announced in Biden’s annual speech last week. An action that was done only a few days after the annual speech of Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang on the necessity of domestic technological development and independence of his country.
Biden’s regional actions, including efforts to bring closer Japan-Korea relations and support security groups such as “AX” and “Quad”; strengthening relations with Europe and supporting Ukraine; And the line-up among European counterparts to “de-risk” China’s supply chain are also other sources of Beijing’s displeasure.
In this regard, Shen Dingley says: “Biden’s coalition strategies isolate China more than Trump’s tariffs, which is why China is not betting on Biden.”
China’s global leadership?
Trump’s disinterest in US global leadership means eliminating a contender for the position that Xi Jinping is said to be seeking. Apart from this, Trump is also known in China’s domestic circles as a factor that disrupts domestic stability in the United States.
Aside from the statements he made about leaving the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Trump is also critical of America’s presence in other defense agreements with Japan and South Korea; Coalitions that America’s withdrawal from each of them, especially considering China’s position towards Taiwan, can be considered a bonus for Beijing.
Meanwhile, Biden has been a staunch supporter of Taiwan’s independence and has announced that he will defend Taiwan militarily in case of a military attack by China.