Trump 2.0 and the PRC
Today’s newsletter is just my thoughts on what Trump’s decisive victory last night means for the US-China relationship. I will return to the regular format Thursday.
It is hard to predict what Trump 2.0 means for US-China relations but I expect we will likely see a more volatile and tense relationship, at least in the near term.
Not all the House of Representative results are in but it looks like the GOP will control the Presidency, the Senate and the House. That trifecta of control could increase US pressure on Beijing, as the chances rise that some or most of the “China Week” Senate bills from September would pass both chambers of Congress and Trump would sign them. If the GOP does retain control of the House then expect renewal of the China Select Committee for another term.
The PRC government has only officially reacted to Trump’s win with a brief Foreign Ministry statement that “we respect the choice of the American people and congratulate Mr. Trump on being elected as president o…