China has no better friend than Donald Trump in today’s America, and Beijing knows it

Beijing’s latest trade-war move to walk back some of its punitive tariffs probably stems from a realisation that if Trump loses to the Democrats in the 2020 election, China can expect an even more hostile White House

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A Chinese flag is displayed in the central business district in Chongqing on September 13, in the run-up to the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. In the eyes of the average American, China has gone from being inconsequential to a job-destroying, intellectual-property-stealing Leviathan. Photo: CNS via Reuters

Published: 1:00am, 17 Sep 2019Updated: 1:59am, 17 Sep 2019

In the US Democratic debate last week, Beijing should have taken note that the only candidate who appeared willing to negotiate an end to trade tensions with China, Julián Castro, is polling far behind the front runners. The rest voiced support for punitive tariffs against China in some form. And then some.

“The problem isn’t the trade deficit, the problem is they’re stealing our intellectual property,” said Joe Biden, who’s currently leading the pack of Democratic contenders. “The problem is they’re violating the [World Trade Organisation]. They’re dumping steel on us.”

Taking aim at China’s industrial policy and overcapacity should make it clear that Beijing’s preferred approach to ease tensions with Washington through more purchases of US goods won’t placate whoever will move into the White House if Donald Trump loses next year’s election.

And even though Castro says he’s keen to end the trade war, he’s also looking to ratchet up the pressure against China over Beijing’s treatment of its Uygur minority in Xinjiang province.

If the fact that Trump is Beijing’s best friend in Washington wasn’t clear to President Xi Jinping before the most recent round of Democratic Party debates, it should be now.

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