Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, as a special representative of Chinese President Xi Jinping, meets with Tesla CEO Elon Musk in Washington, DC. Source: Yin Bogu / Xinhua News
The return of Donald Trump to the White House is causing mixed feelings among Chinese officials and citizens. While they are full of hope, there are also well-founded concerns about a possible repeat of the trade conflict that had serious consequences for the world’s two largest economies during his first term in office, Reuters reports.
The first meeting after the election
On Sunday, 19 January, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng met with Elon Musk and representatives of the US business community in Washington, DC, before Trump’s inauguration. According to Chinese media, Han expressed hope that American companies, including Tesla, would “gain a foothold” in China and contribute to the stabilisation of bilateral relations. “We hope that companies like Tesla will be able to participate in China’s development and help strengthen relations between our countries,” he told Musk.
This gesture is part of China’s strategy to maintain cooperation with American businesses, despite tensions between the two countries.
Trade tariffs and economic impact
During his first term, Trump imposed tariffs on more than $300 billion worth of Chinese goods, leading to a trade war that has hit both economies. Trump recently said that he is ready to increase tariffs on Chinese goods by 10%. This could create new challenges for China, which is struggling to restore economic growth after the pandemic.
At the same time, Trump made a diplomatic gesture by inviting Chinese President Xi Jinping to his inauguration. However, Xi sent Han Zheng to Washington, which was a gesture of goodwill on China’s part. Previously, China was represented only by an ambassador at the previous two US presidential inaugurations.
A telephone conversation between the leaders
It is also worth noting that on Friday, 17 January, Xi Jinping had a telephone conversation with Trump. The two leaders expressed their shared hope for a positive start to bilateral relations after the election. Trump described the talks as “very good”, and Xi confirmed that both sides are committed to a “positive start” in US-China relations.
