China also does not like Trump's entry into the White House

September 1, 2024

3 minutes read

According to Eviralnews, during his presidency in 2016-2020, Donald Trump supported the increasing containment of China. Trump's anti-Chinese rhetoric was accompanied by restrictive measures against Beijing. In fact, action against Beijing was taken by both the executive branch and Congress. During the presidency of Joe Biden, the anti-China policy became more moderate, but its scope continued to expand.

Ham Mihan newspaper wrote: The outcome of the upcoming presidential election in America will not affect the nature of the US policy towards China. However, Trump's victory could accelerate the deterioration of bilateral relations. US-China relations improved after the Cold War with extensive economic cooperation leading to mutual dependence.

The overall nature of the relationship has remained largely positive, despite Washington's occasional warnings on issues such as human rights and the South China Sea. China has integrated into the American model of globalization while maintaining its sovereignty and preventing US influence in its domestic political processes.

China's economic growth has strengthened the country's technological, industrial and military capabilities, and as a result, America has faced challenges. During the presidency of Donald Trump from 2016 to 2020, there was a visible change in the US policy towards China. Under the Obama administration, relations with China faced challenges, including the signing of an executive order to impose sanctions related to cyberattacks.

This approach was changed during the Trump era on two levels of doctrine and practical policy. The new doctrine focused on China as an authoritarian regime that posed economic and technological challenges to the United States. This included concerns about China's projects abroad, as well as China's advances in technology.

The Trump administration has highlighted China's unfair trade practices, technological growth, and military and political use of technology. Practical measures included restrictions on companies such as Huawei, bans on Chinese communication services WeChat and TikTok, and sanctions targeting Chinese officials. The Trump administration has also dealt with Xinjiang and Hong Kong, launched a trade war and accused China of mismanaging the Covid-19 pandemic.

During his 2020 campaign, Trump used China as a scapegoat in formulating his foreign policy. He lost the election and Joe Biden's victory is partly due to the severity of this approach.

Under the Biden administration, new sanctions were applied very narrowly, the list of “military companies” was not actively expanded, and Trump's orders on WeChat and TikTok were overturned. However, the legal structure of the sanctions remained unchanged. The telecommunications security emergency remained in effect without direct reference to China.

The laws related to the autonomous region of Xinjiang and Hong Kong did not go anywhere. Semiconductor supply to Chinese telecom giants is still prohibited. The TikTok ban was eventually incorporated into a federal law and signed by the president. US officials have actively used secondary sanctions against Chinese companies working with Russia since Moscow began military operations in Ukraine in 2022.

In other words, although the Biden administration was much more restrained in its anti-China rhetoric, it did not change the structure of sanctions pressure against China, and the problems that created the sanctions were not resolved. Ultimately, both Trump and Harris will continue to contain China if they win the upcoming election.

However, Trump's performance will be more aggressive and decisive. It is entirely possible that as the ideological component in containing China increases (“democratic America” vs. “authoritarian China”), we will face expanded technological restrictions, trade sanctions against Chinese individuals and companies, and a return to trade war.

However, all of these actions pale in comparison to the scope of sanctions and containment policies that the US is currently using against Russia. China has also learned lessons from the first term of Trump's presidency.

Beijing has developed its sanctions policy mechanisms, formalized and enforced them through legislation. On a larger scale, China is trying to increase the independence of its technical and financial systems.

However, neither Washington nor Beijing seems ready to break the existing system of interdependence. US-China relations will likely see a period of controlled competition in the next four years. Trump's victory will make control more difficult, but continued competition on both sides of the Pacific will not disappear.

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