【Epoch Times News, November 17, 2024】President-elect Trump is swiftly assembling his second-term government, undergoing a thorough overhaul of the United States’ domestic and foreign policies.
So far, the nominees for Trump’s cabinet and top White House officials are mostly hawks on China, some even being super hawks. The current appointments in foreign affairs and national security lean towards hawks, while the economic and trade appointees are expected to align with Trump’s hawkish beliefs.
The nominees for Secretary of State and Defense Secretary align with Trump on issues concerning Israel and Ukraine, indicating that the new government’s strategy may involve resolving conflicts in these regions before dealing with China. For the Chinese authorities, what awaits them could be the long-awaited “stormy seas.”
Since his election victory, Trump has been expediting the nomination of his cabinet and top White House officials. As of the 16th (Saturday), 14 out of 27 cabinet nominees have been announced.
On December 12 (Tuesday), Trump nominated New York Congresswoman Elise Stefanik as the United Nations Ambassador.
On the 13th (Wednesday), Trump nominated former National Intelligence Director John Ratcliffe as the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA); Fox News host and Army veteran Pete Hegseth as the Defense Secretary; and Florida Congressman Mike Waltz as the National Security Advisor.
On the 14th (Thursday), Trump appointed Senator Marco Rubio as the Secretary of State.
The Wall Street Journal reported on the 13th that Trump planned to appoint Robert Lighthizer as his “trade czar,” a position that does not require Senate confirmation, enabling Lighthizer to immediately implement Trump’s tariff proposals upon inauguration.
The Financial Times reported that two billionaires in Trump’s campaign team, Howard Lutnick, CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, and Linda McMahon, former CEO of WWE, are potential cabinet members: Lutnick may become the Treasury Secretary, while McMahon may be the Commerce Secretary.
Reuters also reported that Scott Bessent, Howard Lutnick, and Lighthizer are potential Treasury Secretary candidates.
Secretary of State Rubio:
Rubio’s nomination as Secretary of State has caused great concern for the Chinese Communist Party. Upon news of Rubio’s potential appointment on the 13th, the Chinese stock market plummeted, with the yuan reaching a three-month low.
Rubio’s parents were Cuban immigrants, an experience that has deeply instilled in him a strong aversion towards communist regimes and ideologies.
Having served 14 years in the Senate, Rubio is a senior member of the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Foreign Relations Committee. He has introduced several significant bills aimed at countering the CCP, including the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act, the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, the Taiwan Assurance Act, and the Taiwan Invasion Prevention Act.
Rubio advocates for a more confrontational approach towards the CCP, openly supporting Taiwan and pushing for legislation to enhance Taiwan’s military readiness. In 2022, he proposed legislation to expedite arms sales to Taiwan, prioritizing Taiwan’s military orders over those of other countries.
He has also called for investigations into TikTok, urged to ban any technological transactions with Huawei, supported visa sanctions on Chinese officials, and called for the closure of all Confucius Institutes in the United States.
Due to his strong anti-Communist stance, Rubio has been dubbed the “vanguard against China” by the CCP and has been blacklisted by Beijing.
Reuters reported statements from former U.S. diplomat David Firestein, who is knowledgeable about China issues, saying that Rubio “deep down believes that China (CCP) is an enemy of the United States, which will influence all his actions regarding China (CCP).”
The Washington Post reported comments from Lyle Morris, a senior researcher at the Asia Policy Institute, stating, “(Rubio) will find it difficult to convey to China (CCP) that the United States hopes to cooperate with them without seeking to overthrow the Chinese Communist Party.” Morris suggested that Trump might use the actions of his hawkish cabinet to reach agreements with Beijing.
National Security Advisor Waltz:
Waltz, like Rubio, is a “super hawk” on China. In 2021, Waltz called for the U.S. Olympic Committee to withdraw from the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
Waltz believes that the U.S. diverting attention to Ukraine and the Middle East issues plays into Beijing’s favor. He advocates for the new government to “swiftly resolve” these conflicts and redirect resources towards revitalizing the defense industry to better deter a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.
He has publicly urged Taiwan to increase its defense spending, saying, “We must learn from the situation in Ukraine in countering the threat from China; we need to arm Taiwan now while there is still time.” He wrote in a post last year.
Waltz praised the Biden administration for establishing the trilateral initiative with the UK and Australia and supporting Australia’s nuclear-powered submarine program.
Former Chairman of the House Committee on China, former Republican Congressman Mike Gallagher, stated that the appointments of Waltz and Rubio send a message to Beijing that the era of accommodation is over.
CIA Director Ratcliffe:
Ratcliffe, who previously served as the National Intelligence Director in the first Trump administration, is likely to prioritize the so-called security threat posed by the CCP. In an article in 2020, he described the CCP as “the greatest current threat to the United States and the greatest threat to democracy and freedom worldwide since World War II.”
Defense Secretary Hegseth:
Defense Secretary Hegseth also shares a similar view on the threat posed by the CCP. He stated that the CCP is building an army “specifically aimed at defeating the United States” and is leveraging its advantages in technology and manufacturing to build global influence.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Stefanik:
Elise Stefanik, soon to be the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, is also a vocal critic of the CCP. Stefanik has accused the CCP of “overt malevolent election interference” and infiltration of university campuses.
Potential Treasury Secretary, Commerce Secretary, and Trade Representative:
As of now, nominees for Treasury Secretary, Commerce Secretary, and Trade Representative have not been announced. Howard Lutnick is speculated to be Treasury Secretary, Linda McMahon as Commerce Secretary, and Lighthizer as Trade Representative.
Lighthizer played a crucial role in the trade war during Trump’s first term, assisting in formulating the tariff policies on Chinese goods. Lighthizer has advocated for “decoupling” further from China through trade restrictions (including exports of critical technologies).
McMahon is a close friend of Trump, having led the Small Business Administration during his first term and later served as one of the leaders of the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) after leaving office, focusing on Trump’s reelection campaign strategy and formulating strategies for his next term.
Lutnick’s views align with Trump’s, stating, “China (CCP) is attacking the United States from within,” in a podcast, “It goes right into your gut, trying to kill you.”
Bessent recently wrote in a column that “broad tariffs” would be an effective way to rebalance international trade.
Members of Trump’s new cabinet openly discuss strategies to decouple from China, swiftly end the conflict in Ukraine, protect Taiwan, strengthen military capabilities, indicating that the new government will take a more coordinated approach to curb Chinese ambitions, extending beyond trade wars to encompass technology, military, and ideological fields.
For the CCP, the international environment has truly encountered “stormy seas,” but for them, it is a devastating development.
Revoking China’s Most Favored Nation trade status is a Republican consensus. In 2023, Republican members of both houses of Congress introduced the China Trade Relations Act, calling for the revocation of China’s permanent normal trade relationship status. Signatories include Vice President-elect JD Vance; earlier this year, three Republican senators, Tom Cotton, Marco Rubio, and Josh Hawley, introduced the Senate version of the bill. The normal trade relationship was previously known as Most Favored Nation status.
On the 14th, U.S. House of Representatives China Commission Chairman John Moolenaar reintroduced the Restoring Trade Fairness Act, calling for the cancellation of Communist China’s permanent normal trade relationship status.
Taiwanese economic analyst Wu Chia-lung told Epoch Times that whether the U.S. cancels China’s Most Favored Nation trade status is the most apparent test for Trump 2.0. With both the White House, Senate, and House of Representatives under Republican control, Trump will undoubtedly use this issue as a way to signal his stance; revoking China’s Most Favored Nation status is imperative.
He cited Trump’s immediate withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement during his first term as an immediate signal of his lack of support for climate change rhetoric.
Taiwan Institute for National Defense and Security Studies director Su Ziyun told Epoch Times that for Trump, engaging in economic warfare against China is the core strike. Taking away China’s Most Favored Nation status equates to thoroughly blocking its foreign trade, subjecting all products to tariffs, which would be a significant blow to China’s economy.
“Trump may also initiate a financial war; he has already issued strong warnings. If China starts using the RMB as a pricing unit, the U.S. will designate that country as a trade retaliation target. This is like cutting off Beijing’s external financial support, disrupting what comes downstream. This is a strategic move of upstream pressure.”
St. Thomas University professor of international studies Yeh Yao-yuan told Epoch Times that Most Favored Nation status is a privilege granted by the World Trade Organization. As long as a country is a member of the WTO, it enjoys the status of Most Favored Nation. This status needs to be recognized through various countries’ parliaments and can also be revoked. However, given the 25% tariffs imposed on China by the U.S., the significance of Most Favored Nation status has diminished.
He added that the U.S. could simply cancel China’s Most Favored Nation trade status through domestic legislation, directly through both houses of Congress and the President’s signature. It’s straightforward. The symbolic significance is to send a signal for other countries to follow suit.
The Trump administration’s hawkish cabinet appointments have been welcomed by most Taiwanese people.
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te congratulated Rubio on his nomination as Secretary of State, expressing the warmest gratitude for his steadfast support for Taiwan and relentless efforts in defending freedom and human rights globally.
Su Ziyun told Epoch Times that looking at Trump’s cabinet, he selected hawks. Rubio has long supported Taiwan, making a tough stance against the CCP inevitable; Waltz also stating Russia is not the major enemy, but the CCP. They have special sentiments or ideas regarding Taiwan; of course, they will pay more attention to the sensitive issue of Taiwan being infringed upon.
“The new government’s top priority should be how to assist Taiwan while ensuring U.S. interests. However, we will have to wait for special cases or accidents to have a clearer view.”
Regarding Trump’s statement that Taiwan needs to pay “protection money,” Su Ziyun believes that since there are no U.S. troops stationed in Taiwan, there is no need to pay for garrison costs. If Trump’s protection fee is meant for Taiwan to purchase more arms, Taiwan would be very willing.
Most of the arms purchased from the U.S. by Taiwan currently were sold during Trump’s tenure, such as the M1 tanks and F-16 fighter jets. Many civilians in Taiwan also agree that if the U.S. is willing to protect Taiwan, it is reasonable for Taiwan to pay a bit more to the U.S. It is not a very loud protest from civil society; it’s just about when Taiwan can benefit from it.