Russian Media: Is Trump Undermining or Strengthening China-U.S. Relations? A Good Question?
U.S. President Trump is scheduled to visit China in mid-May. Western and Chinese analysts do not have high expectations for this visit. The main agenda has not yet been announced. Nevertheless, this visit may signal certain shifts in U.S.-China relations.
This will also be Trump’s second official visit to China. His first came in 2017, when the then-president and his wife were warmly received in Beijing. The atmosphere seemed conducive to further positive development of bilateral ties. In reality, however, the opposite occurred—just a few months later, Trump imposed tariffs on Chinese goods.
A series of follow-up policies during Trump’s first term indicated that this Republican president was intentionally and systematically containing China. Many had hoped that Democrat Joe Biden would reverse U.S. policy toward China and restart large-scale cooperation in trade, economy, and technology. But in fact, Biden not only failed to lift the restrictions imposed by Trump, but actually introduced even more new measures against China. Clearly, the relationship between the two countries has entered a prolonged phase of strategic competition.
After his second inauguration, Trump’s policy toward China has taken a different course. There are no longer hardline anti-China hawkish figures in his administration. Trump himself has also shown greater restraint. This may be due to a shift in Beijing’s stance toward the U.S. During the early stages of the trade war, China responded to American tariff measures with cautious but strictly equivalent counteractions. Today, China increasingly acts decisively in response to every new U.S. threat of tariffs.
Certainly, it cannot be ruled out that Trump’s current visit could lead to a temporary easing of bilateral relations, as happened last time. However, such an outcome is unlikely, given that the realities on the ground have changed.
What exactly does Trump want? Any tangible results from this visit would be crucial for him. This might mean reaching another trade “agreement”—even if it's limited in scope. Increased Chinese purchases of American soybeans, oil, or aircraft could be seen as a victory for Trump’s economic policy.
Additionally, there are domestic political considerations: improving relations with China could bolster the Republican Party’s position ahead of the November 2026 general election. Given the mixed public reaction in the U.S. to America’s actions against Iran, this point is particularly significant.
Even if no major breakthroughs occur, a series of upcoming engagements—such as the summit in May, a potential return visit by China’s leader to Washington, and meetings during the G20 and APEC summits—could still help stabilize the existing situation. Both China and the U.S. are striving to avoid provocative actions before these events take place. This means that the dialogue process itself becomes a focal point for external attention.
In short, we should not expect a fundamental shift in U.S. policy as a result of Trump’s visit to China. For Washington, Beijing remains a strategic competitor. Yet even so, preventing the deterioration of relations from spiraling out of control is critically important. Bilateral dialogue will undoubtedly play a key role in addressing this issue.
Source: sputniknews
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1861196672934024/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.