China is bracing itself for an uncertain future as Donald Trump returns to the White House, signalling a volatile period in US-China relations.
随着唐纳德·特朗普重返白宫，中国正在为不确定的未来做准备，这标志着美中关系进入了动荡时期。

Trump’s re-election is expected to bring aggressive trade policies, including tariffs as high as 60 per cent on Chinese goods, potentially disrupting global supply chains and impacting China’s economic growth, CNN reported.
据 CNN 报道，特朗普的连任预计将带来激进的贸易政策，包括对中国商品征收高达 60% 的关税，这可能会扰乱全球供应链并影响中国的经济增长。

With new technology restrictions and Trump’s expected hard-line stance on Beijing, the superpowers’ already fragile relationship may face further strain.

But while Trump’s protectionist trade stance and transactional approach to foreign policy could put significant pressure on China, it may also lead to opportunities for Beijing. As Trump’s stance threatens US alliances and global leadership, Beijing sees a potential to fill the vacuum left by an “America First” approach and to assert a new global order less reliant on the US, reported CNN. 

Officially, China’s response has remained neutral. In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday it “respected” the American electoral outcome, while Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated Trump on Thursday. Trump has often praised Xi, calling him “a very good friend,” despite the marked downturn in US-China relations during his first term.st texts sent following election

Xi conveyed to Trump that both countries should “find the right way” to “get along in the new era,” as stated by the Foreign Ministry. Yet beneath the calm official statements, Beijing is preparing for what could be an era of increased uncertainty.

During his first term, Trump enacted sweeping trade tariffs on China, blacklisted telecom giant Huawei, and placed blame on Beijing for the COVID-19 pandemic. By the end of his term, bilateral relations had reached their lowest point in decades.

Trump has now indicated plans to impose 60 per cent tariffs on all Chinese goods, a punitive measure that could further destabilise China’s economy, already grappling with a property crisis, low consumer demand, and rising government debts, reported CNN.

Investment bank Macquarie forecasts that tariffs at this level could slash China’s growth rate by two percentage points, nearly half of the country’s projected annual growth rate of 5 per cent.

“Trade war 2.0 could end China’s ongoing growth model, in which exports and manufacturing have been the main growth driver,” wrote Larry Hu, chief China economist at Macquarie, in a recent research note.

Despite the risks, Beijing also recognises the potential advantages of Trump’s “America First” stance. “Although Beijing is deeply concerned about the unpredictability of Trump’s China policy, it reminds itself that challenges also bring opportunities,” said Tong Zhao, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)