In a report from Epoch Times on March 4, 2025, President Trump, who has once again claimed the White House, reshaped America’s policy towards China during his previous presidency – shifting from engagement with the CCP to resistance and confrontation. However, America’s long-standing ally, Europe, failed to keep pace with Trump’s stance, leaving his administration to single-handedly confront the CCP on the international stage.
One significant case was the debate on how to prevent Huawei, a Chinese tech giant with military ties to the CCP, and its 5G network from permeating Western countries. According to Wire China magazine, the previous Trump administration vigorously advised European allies to exclude Huawei from their networks, but many allies proceeded with the deployment of Huawei’s 5G infrastructure. Consequently, the Trump team had to take on the battle alone, relying on America’s strength to eventually succeed.
Since taking office in January 2017, the Trump administration spent two years enlightening both political parties in Washington about the true nature of communist China’s “peaceful rise” – emphasizing that the CCP is not a peaceful entity but a competitor and a threat to the United States. Despite this, Europe continued to prioritize doing business with China.
In late April 2019, the UK decided to entrust the digital upgrade of its network to Huawei for 5G deployment, a move that shocked and frustrated the Trump team. American officials have reached a consensus regarding Huawei, viewing it not just as a private Chinese tech company but as an entity of the Chinese government, facilitating Beijing’s geopolitical agenda. Concerns were raised about Huawei’s potential to disrupt global communications, which could allow Beijing to interfere with economic and military operations of its adversaries.
The refusal of the UK, a close ally, to heed the White House’s warnings about Huawei signaled a dangerous shift. If the UK could not be swayed, other Western nations seeking to build their 5G infrastructure might follow suit due to Huawei’s appealing technology and competitive pricing.
At 46, Matt Pottinger was a prominent figure within Trump’s hawkish team. As the Senior Director for Asian Affairs at the White House’s National Security Council and the chief expert on China issues, he played a crucial role in steering America’s policy towards China during the first years of Trump’s presidency. Despite efforts to dissuade the UK from Huawei, the decision to embrace the company was met with strong opposition from the Trump administration.
As the tensions between the US and Huawei grew, the Trump administration resorted to the Entity List in May 2019, effectively restricting Huawei’s access to American products. However, the impact seemed minimal, as Huawei turned to other countries for supplies.
Furthermore, to halt Huawei’s influence, it became evident that not only US companies but also European and Asian businesses needed to cease cooperation with Huawei. However, with Europe displaying reluctance, Trump’s attempt to persuade UK’s Prime Minister Johnson to reverse the Huawei decision in January 2020 was met with refusal, leading to a confrontation and a strained relationship between the two leaders.
Subsequently, without a combat alliance, the Trump administration enforced the Foreign Direct Product Rule (FDPR) against Huawei’s global partners, adding further pressure on the tech giant.
The upgraded FDPR, rolled out in May 2020, served as an economic weapon in the battle against Huawei, limiting the company’s access to American technologies. By this time, FBI’s investigation into Huawei’s equipment had provided substantial evidence of potential dangers posed by the company.
Barr, the US Attorney General, warned that allowing Huawei to dominate the next generation of the internet would severely limit US response capabilities. With global semiconductor manufacturing heavily reliant on American technology, the restriction of Huawei’s access to these resources significantly weakened the company’s position in the market.
In the face of ongoing economic warfare with China, the Trump administration demonstrated the leverage and power the US holds in the global economy. Despite initial skepticism, the administration’s strategies bore fruit, showcasing the potential they had to weaken China’s economic prowess.
As Trump embarked on a second term, he found himself in a new situation of solitary resistance against the CCP. Currently, Trump is involved in brokering a ceasefire and peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, aiming to mediate conflicts and shifting America’s focus to Asia in response to the threat posed by China.
Many political analysts have noted that Trump’s involvement in the Russia-Ukraine conflict serves as part of a larger geopolitical game involving major powers – the US, Russia, and China. It is believed that Trump’s aim is to undermine the Sino-Russian alliance formed during the three-year conflict between Russia and Ukraine, allowing the US to pivot towards Asia and counter the CCP threat.
Vice President Vance’s recent remarks at the Munich Security Conference reiterated the importance of Europe strengthening its own defenses, enabling the US to focus on other high-risk regions globally.
As Trump’s second term unfolds, observers are keen to see how he will employ his economic arsenal and leverage to navigate the looming confrontations in his global battle against the CCP.