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Donald Trump’s China policy

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Donald Trump’s China policy
In his first administration, US President Donald Trump came down heavily on Beijing economically, kicking off a US-China trade war that was kept in place by his successor, Joe Biden. Returning to the White House in 2025, Trump is expected to continue his transactional, “America first” policies towards international trade, particularly with respect to the world's second-biggest economy.
President Xi Jinping attends a high-level reception to ring in the Lunar New Year at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, on January 27, 2025. Photo: Xinhua
US-China relations

Opinion | China has Trump 2.0 to thank for emerging stronger in tech and trade

As intense US-China competition becomes the new normal, pressure has strengthened China’s capacity to adapt rather than deter it from its long-term ambitions.

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US-China trade war

‘Not sustainable’: China central bank adviser flags US debt risk

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US-China trade war

Trump’s decision to sell AI chips to China under pressure as House bill advances

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United States

Trump lays out Greenland-Arctic deal framework, pauses February tariffs

In his speech to the World Economic Forum in Davos, the US president vowed not to invade Greenland while slamming Nato and Europe.

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US President Donald Trump waves to the audience after his speech during the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday. Photo: AP
World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos

Trump tells Davos US must have Greenland but won’t use force – as it happened

US president boasted close ties with China’s Xi, vowed not to invade Greenland and slammed WEF host Switzerland in overtime speech.

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China trade

China’s zero-tariff gambit: why Beijing is slashing duties as Trump raises them

China’s average effective tariff rate estimated to be as low as 1.3 per cent in 2025, helping it secure raw materials and build soft power.

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World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos

China’s He Lifeng warns of ‘law of the jungle’, blasts protectionism, at Davos

Amid escalating transatlantic rifts fuelled by Donald Trump, vice-premier urges global cooperation, free trade and dialogue, pledging to boost imports and open China’s market.

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Vice-Premier He Lifeng delivers a speech during the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday. Photo: AFP
US-China relations

How narrowing China-US gap could reshape global power play by 2035

Political scientist Yan Xuetong predicts Beijing will be on ‘equal footing’ in strategic rivalry with Washington in the post-Trump era.

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US-China relations

Can US-led bloc ease China’s ‘vice-like grip’ on rare earths?

Washington is working with its allies to accelerate projects in rare earths and diversify their supply in response to China’s export curbs.

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US-China trade war

Trump shrugs off concerns over Canada-China EV deal, calls it a ‘good thing’

Despite Trump’s support for landmark accord, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Ottawa may regret its decision ‘in the long run’.

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While US President Donald Trump said on Friday it’s a “good thing” that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has signed a trade deal with China, his trade chief cautioned that Canada could regret the decision. Photo: AP
US-China relations

Tesla’s defeat, Harvard’s success, Beijing’s shock: 7 US-China relations reads

From China’s EV power to Hegseth’s new threat, here are highlights from the SCMP’s overseas correspondents in the first half of January 2026.

Practitioners perform martial art next to a BYD Sealion 7 electric vehicle at Singapore Motorshow on January 9. Photo: AFP
US-China relations

China dumps more US debt, buys other assets as Trump targets Powell

Beijing’s Treasury holdings hit a September 2008 low, and analysts point to fears over Fed independence and debt sustainability, while gold’s appeal rises.

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US-China relations

China’s US envoy says world faces ‘stark choice’ as 2026 opens with instability

Xie Feng barely mentions Donald Trump by name but draws contrast between Washington’s recent actions and Chinese-led stability.

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US-China relations

US bill for US$300 million arms sale to Taiwan passed in House

The 482-page bill outlining varying military assistance comes as Taipei announced that more US weapons sales to Taiwan are in the pipeline.

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The Patriot missile system is deployed at a park in Taipei in July, 2025. A US bill approving US$300 million for Taiwan’s military is on its way to becoming law. Photo: AFP
Rare earths

US lawmakers propose US$2.5 billion agency to boost production of rare earths

The US is moving to reduce reliance on China after Beijing used its dominance in critical minerals to gain leverage in the trade war.

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Workers use machinery to dig at a rare earth mine in Ganxian county in central China’s Jiangxi province. Photo: Chinatopix via AP
US-China trade war

Trump sets 180-day deadline to counter China’s control of critical minerals

US government warns global suppliers to negotiate agreements to secure reliable, diversified supplies for the US or face new trade hurdles.

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US-China relations

Trump administration faces backlash over Nvidia H200 AI chip sales to China

Critics warn easing export controls could boost Beijing’s military and undermine US lead in the AI race, as White House defends decision.

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US-China relations

‘Wartime footing’: US Navy chief unveils Trump’s Golden Fleet shipbuilding push

John Phelan says it is essential that America matches China’s superior production capacity and manufacturing workforce.

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US President Donald Trump announces plans for a new class of warships called the Golden Fleet at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, in December. Photo: AFP
US-China trade war

Why China may buy Nvidia’s AI chips as US eases curbs – and replace them later

As the US reverses Biden-era restrictions, Beijing likely to take advantage – without compromising own industry, analysts say.

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China trade

As China’s US exports plunge, Beijing banks on diversification for 2026 growth

Shipments to Asean and Africa surged to drive a record US$1.19 trillion surplus for China, offsetting headwinds as leaders push to boost local demand.

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US-China trade war

US government approves Nvidia H200 chip exports to China

Trump administration on Tuesday gave the green light to China-bound sales of Nvidia’s second most powerful AI chips.

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The Trump administration has approved the sale ​of Nvidia’s H200 chip to China. Photo: Shutterstock
United States

Not ‘Trump-compatible’? China expert Rudd exits Australia’s US ambassador role

Kevin ‌Rudd left his post a year ‍earlier than planned following criticism from US President Donald Trump at White House meeting in October.

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Australia’s ambassador to the United States, Kevin Rudd, is stepping down a year earlier than expected and is returning to lead the Asia Society think tank. Photo: TNS
US-China relations

Chinese student numbers at Harvard rise despite Trump visa crackdown

Enrolment from mainland China grew 4.5% in 2025 even as Washington tightened vetting and revoked thousands of student visas.

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China manufacturing

Fears over China’s trade surplus misplaced as West also driving trend: analysts

China’s global manufacturing dominance is a tale of two halves; reliant on home-grown industrial growth and Western consumption, experts say.

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Donald Trump

Video | Trump slaps 25% extra tariffs on Iran’s trading partners

Trump announces tariffs ‘effective immediately’ on economies doing business with Tehran, including India and China, Iran’s largest trading partner.

U.S. President Donald Trump points while sitting next to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio as they attend a meeting with oil industry executives, at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 9, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
US-China relations

China’s US embassy decries ‘coercion’ after Trump’s Iran tariff move

China’s embassy opposes Washington’s ‘long-arm jurisdiction’ after Trump announces a 25 per cent tariff on countries doing business with Iran.

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An Iranian police officer watches over a pro-government rally in Tehran on January 12. Photo: West Asia News Agency via Reuters
US-China relations

US government abandons plan to blacklist Chinese-made drones

Commerce Department, FCC make U-turn after barring imports of new Chinese drone models in December to address national security concerns.

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US-China relations

US will end China’s dominance of rare earths, Trump adviser Navarro predicts

The president’s trade aide says American innovation will ‘quickly wipe away’ Beijing’s ‘weaponisation’ of critical minerals.

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