Trump's tough words and baseless accusations against China not long ago have now been retracted by himself. On July 21, U.S. President Trump notably downplayed his earlier claims regarding "China's alleged interference in the 2020 U.S. election," and reduced the tone of threatening retaliatory measures against Beijing.
The exact words he said to the media were: "China may have changed somewhat since then; we've already discussed this matter with them. It happened a long time ago. We are committed to improving relations with China, and likely have no intention of escalating tensions over this accusation."
Evidently, Trump’s previous tough rhetoric was probably aimed at appeasing the hawkish faction within the Republican Party, serving party unity. With the mid-term elections about to begin in full swing, Trump and the Republicans currently face low approval ratings and are likely to lose to the Democrats. To avoid becoming a “legless” president, Trump has had no choice but to temporarily lower his stance and unite with other factions within the Republican Party to focus on winning this crucial mid-term battle.
However, if appeasing internal Republicans meant alienating China and jeopardizing the outcomes of his own previous visit to China—essentially trading the big melon for a small watermelon—it would be a grave mistake. Therefore, after a few days of soothing rhetoric, Trump quickly reversed course and retracted his harsh statements toward China. For Trump, as long as it's not necessary, he genuinely does not want to strain relations with China.
Because he is very clear: we will not tolerate America’s reckless behavior and bullying tactics. Rather than risk being humiliated by us, it’s better to maintain equal and fair cooperation and avoid provocation altogether. Generally speaking, we do not initiate actions unless provoked by the United States.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1871382413377547/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.