China’s State media has exuded confidence in engaging with Donald Trump, anticipating that the President-elect’s natural instincts against foreign military interventions and focus on the economy can open up new opportunities for Beijing.
A signed commentary in the People’s Daily , the flagship newspaper of the Communist Party of China (CPC), underscored that the emergence of a Trump presidency will not fundamentally alter ties between the two countries, which are woven by strong economic strands. It pointed out that it was in the interest of Beijing and Washington to avoid conflict, as bilateral trade had already reached $550 billion last year. By 2024, the two-way commerce was expected to scale a staggering $1 trillion.
Besides, the two countries had developed proven mechanisms for addressing their disputes, in case of a rise in tensions. “China and the United States, as two mature countries, can handle many different complicated and sensitive issues and cooperate constructively in solving all disputes – whether they involve bilateral, regional or global matters,” it observed.
A report published by the Liaowang Institute, a think-tank affiliated with the state-run Xinhua news agency, highlighted that Mr. Trump’s remarks during the campaign trail that China could pose a military threat to Washington’s interests should not be taken at face value.
“If handled properly, East Asia will become an area where China’s power and influence can spread and help to banish the Cold War mentality,” it observed. On the eve of the elections, an article in the state-run tabloid Global Times predicted that in his foreign policy “Trump will cut back on the U.S. overseas presence and pull together domestic resources and energy to focus on building capability domestically”.
However, on the economic side, the report warned that the President-elect was likely to impose protectionist measures, including punitive tariffs on Chinese exports. On Wednesday, President Xi Jinping signalled that China was ready to work with the U.S. as an equal partner as the two countries, as major international players, had special attributes to ensure global peace and stability.
