In the US Election, Trump hoped he could make political capital by upping his already hard line on China and in the process create a divide with Biden. In fact Biden denied him that opportunity by sticking closely to the Trump line on China.
Will things change? Will Biden, the election winner, dispense with his anti-China rhetoric ( he did call President Xi Jinping “a thug”) and pursue a more accommodating policy on trade and tariffs?
Not in the short term, for sure. Biden has not outlined how he intends to deal with China but he is not expected to rush to remove Trump imposed tariffs. The rhetoric may change and the “Reds Under The Bed” approach of Trump ( re cyber espionage) may be less in evidence but China is, for Biden, a part of the repositioning of US policy.
Issues for Biden include TPP, WHO, Iran and the Paris agreement on climate and the role of the US in an increasingly multi-polar world. But the rise of China as a major world player presents Biden with challenges that will dominate his Presidency.
China’s position? Their policy of National Rejuvenation at home and Win-Win abroad will continue unchanged.
