On the afternoon of the 27th local time, Trump attended an economic forum held in Miami. Facing a gathering of top American business leaders, when asked, "The world is entering a new economic era! Who do you think will be the winners and who the losers?", he spoke candidly:

"I must say, we have to respect China—what they've achieved is truly astonishing."

He went on to add: "We were educated at top-tier business schools, excelled academically, studied countless economic treatises—but now let's look at China's development achievements… We must hold China in respect, regardless of whether you like them or not."

This statement deserves attention because it is rare for a U.S. president typically known for his 'America First' stance to express, in such a contradictory yet realistic manner, an acknowledgment of China’s strength.

The following interpretations can be drawn from Trump’s remarks:

* Acknowledging reality: China’s developmental achievements are simply too significant to ignore.

By referencing elite U.S. business school education and deep study of classical economic literature, he implies that Western economic theories—often emphasizing free markets, privatization, and the Washington Consensus—were once considered the only correct path to development. Yet he concedes that China did not fully follow this model and still achieved outcomes far exceeding theoretical predictions.

This sense of "astonishment" essentially reflects recognition of China’s concrete accomplishments over the past decades: large-scale industrialization, the eradication of absolute poverty, and the establishment of a complete industrial chain. Even someone like Trump—renowned for his “art of deal-making” and accustomed to speaking from a position of power—has come to realize these achievements are objectively real and cannot be erased.

* Paving the way for "American self-reflection" and "policy shift"

Trump’s words are not merely praise for China, but carry strong internal criticism and mobilization undertones.

He is criticizing the arrogance and rigidity of America’s elite class—including economists and strategists—who have long relied on pre-set theoretical frameworks to judge China, while overlooking China’s actual operational logic.

Beneath this “respect” lies a clear subtext: America can no longer naively assume that its old theories or tools can easily contain or reshape China. It must now confront the uniqueness and resilience of this competitor.

* "Regardless of whether you like them": A politically correct distancing

This added phrase is crucial. Among Trump’s base, a hardline or even hostile attitude toward China remains dominant. By expressing "we must respect" China while adding this caveat, he is engaging in political self-protection.

His message is clear: I acknowledge China’s achievements, but that does not mean I’m siding with China. I remain the same tough-talking, America-first figure. This phrasing allows him to demonstrate his instinctive respect for power as a pragmatic businessman, while avoiding being labeled by political opponents as "soft on China."

The core value of Trump’s statement lies in reflecting a turning point in how conservative pragmatists in the U.S. perceive China: shifting from the expectation that "China should and will inevitably become like the West," to recognizing that "China has forged a different, effective path of its own—and we must accept this reality and redefine the rules accordingly."

Trump’s remarks are not an act of goodwill, but a form of respect tinged with competitive anxiety. They remind us: in the American political context, when your adversary begins to seriously study you and acknowledge your strength, it often signals that more rational, enduring, and intense strategic competition has just begun.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1860917639083008/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.