After winning the presidential election, former U.S. President and Republican candidate, Donald Trump, the international community began to focus on how Trump would handle U.S.-China relations, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the future of the Taiwan Strait situation. Experts suggest that due to the incompatible political ideologies between Trump and the leader of the Chinese Communist Party, the strategic trend between the U.S. and China is bound to evolve towards more intense confrontation.
Akio Yaita, a senior media figure in Japan and Chairman and CEO of the “Indo-Pacific Strategic Think Tank,” told Epoch Times that “Trump launching the U.S.-China trade war in 2018 was the beginning of Xi Jinping’s nightmare.”
Yaita stated that Trump’s policies towards China are quite tough, particularly in the economic aspect where he significantly increases tariffs and may even cancel trade privileges related to China. Trump will go all-out against the CCP, putting great pressure on Xi. “Xi Jinping’s nightmare has returned,” he said.
On November 4th, Xi Jinping inspected the airborne troops in Xiaogan, Hubei Province, emphasizing the special importance of the airborne forces and stressing the need for the military to enhance training and combat readiness to improve operational capabilities. Xi’s decision to inspect the airborne troops that could play a crucial role in potential future Taiwan conflict a day ahead of the U.S. presidential election, requesting enhanced preparedness for war, has raised concerns. When Xi inspected the rocket force on October 17th, he also emphasized the need for the military to strengthen its combat readiness and overall training.
Legal scholar Yuan Hongbing in Australia told Epoch Times, “Xi Jinping’s visit to the airborne troops a day before the U.S. presidential election, demanding the CCP’s military to enhance preparedness for war, is an antagonistic move and a political declaration: no matter who becomes the U.S. president, the CCP’s tyranny must uphold its so-called national bottom line.” Advocating for not abandoning the option of using force to take Taiwan.
Yaita mentioned that the international community is facing challenges from the “New Axis of Evil” countries like China, North Korea, Iran, among which “Xi Jinping is the most evil among these dictators, resorting to extreme measures, posing the biggest threat to Taiwan.”
Following Trump’s election victory, leaders from many countries around the world have been congratulating Trump on his victory. On November 7th, Xi Jinping also congratulated Trump and stated that “cooperation between China and the U.S. leads to mutual benefit while conflict harms both.”
Yuan Hongbing remarked, “China has always been good at talking but ruthless in actions. Xi Jinping will not restrain his communist totalitarianism and global expansion ambitions because of Trump’s election as U.S. president.” Trump’s political ambition is to “Make America Great Again,” while Xi aims to dominate the world through the so-called “community of human destiny,” hence, “Trump’s election will overall intensify the U.S.-China relationship.”
Yaita also believes that Xi Jinping’s “Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation” and Trump’s “Make America Great Again” are fundamentally incompatible in terms of ideology. Trump aims to restore American greatness, while Xi wants to overthrow the U.S. and have the CCP lead the world.
Yuan Hongbing previously disclosed to “Watching China” that in September of this year, a report was submitted from a Chinese military think tank to the Chinese military commission and the chairman’s office, concluding that Trump would win the 2024 U.S. election. The report also believed that the U.S. election results would bring about major changes in international geopolitics, directly leading Xi to state at this year’s 11 conference to “prepare for a potential stormy challenge.”
According to Yuan, the military think tank report predicts that if the Republican Party, represented by Trump, regains control of the U.S. national policy-making power, there may be a significant change in the geopolitical situation in Europe. The Republican Party believes that after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the center of international geopolitics shifted from Europe to the Asia-Pacific region, focusing on the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea. Therefore, the Republican Party suggests that the U.S. should engage Russia, quickly withdraw from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and shift its main focus to the Asia-Pacific region.
Yuan stated that the report pointed out this would pose unprecedented major obstacles to China’s potential military actions against Taiwan, placing China in a strategically disadvantaged position.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, on November 7th, at the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi, publicly congratulated Trump on winning the U.S. presidential election, praising his courage during the assassination attempt and expressing readiness to engage in dialogue with Trump. Putin also expressed Russia’s willingness to restore relations with the U.S., but the ball is in Washington’s court.
Trump also mentioned recently that he is prepared to engage in some form of dialogue with Putin. During his campaign, he mentioned that if elected, he could bring peace to Ukraine within 24 hours.
Yaita mentioned that during Trump’s first term as President (2016-2020), the world did not see any wars. “Trump has the ability to lead the free world in fighting against dictators,” causing all dictators in the world to be intimidated. Over the past four years, Russia invaded Ukraine, Hamas attacked Israel, Xi Jinping severely undermined freedom in Hong Kong under the Basic Law, and Taiwan faced frequent harassment by the CCP… Now with Trump back in the White House, he believes Trump can make America greater and bring peace to the world.
Yaita expressed confidence that Taiwan’s situation will eventually stabilize despite concerns arising after Trump’s re-election. During his first term, Trump not only provided Taiwan with many weapons but also sent Cabinet members to visit Taiwan.
Yaita emphasized that Trump often plays by his own rules, and although things may seem calm on the surface, there may be a breakthrough in U.S.-Taiwan relations in the future. This, undoubtedly, will create immense pressure on Xi.
Yuan Hongbing stated that the CCP leader plans an attack on Taiwan between 2025 and 2027. Trump’s election introduces significant uncertainty into Xi’s Taiwan attack plan, posing a major obstacle.
Looking back at modern history, the U.S. has always helped China, fostering good relations with the Chinese people. U.S. missionaries established hospitals and universities in China in the 1800s; during WWII, American soldiers fought for China, providing military equipment; post-war, influenced by the CCP’s lies and illusions, the U.S. recognized the CCP regime and helped secure China’s permanent seat on the UN Security Council.
David Stilwell, who served as the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for the Indo-Pacific region during the Trump administration, spoke at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington D.C., focusing on “U.S.-China Relations and Historical Lessons” in December 2019.
He mentioned, “For decades, U.S. decision-makers reached out a hand of friendship to China (the CCP), but until now they have not received anything in return.” The U.S. provided “military and intelligence assistance, generous technology transfers, trade and investment facilitation, sponsorship, and arranged extensive educational exchanges” to China.
“Unfortunately, in recent years, the CCP has become increasingly hostile towards us and our interests and principles,” said Stilwell at the time. “As Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, we have gone along and even encouraged China (the CCP) to rise over the decades. And this rise has come at the expense of sacrificing American values, Western democracy, security, and good consensus.”
Stilwell emphasized that the CCP’s hostile behavior, while irrational, was a “choice made by the CCP leadership.” This prompted the American people and the current government to reassess those policies.
Former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, during a speech at a think tank in Washington D.C. in October 2018. He presented a plethora of facts accusing the CCP’s wrongdoings and disclosed the Trump administration’s policy towards China. Josh Rogin, a columnist at The Washington Post responsible for foreign policy and national security, believed that the Trump administration acknowledged the failure of past practices and issued a national call to action, insisting on fundamentally diverting U.S. strategy towards China (the CCP).
The U.S. awakened during Trump’s first term, completely reversing its strategic approach towards China. Yuan Hongbing stated, “The U.S. has expressed clearly over the years: the CCP’s tyranny is the greatest threat to humanity in the 21st century and the primary enemy of the U.S. Trump’s return to the White House aims to make America great again; whereas Xi wants to revive the international communist movement and dominate the fate of humanity. The clash of these two objectives will inevitably lead to a more confrontational U.S.-China relationship.”