Trump’s days of running US-China relations on personal ties are numbered
Amid attempts this year to impress each other with splendour, US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping appear to have decided that the relationship between their two countries should primarily run through their personal relationship. This has been a hallmark of the Trump years. The American executive branch has always held near-unilateral authority over foreign policy, but Trump…
As US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping have placed greater emphasis on their personal relationship to shape the US-China partnership, recent events could soon change the dynamics of their bilateral ties. Former President Trump's influence over foreign policy has been extensive, replacing countless ambassadors and national security advisers at his discretion, while China has largely viewed any US decision through the lens of Trump's control over the Republican Party.
Midterm elections may alter this personal reliance, as Republicans are distancing themselves from Trump and Democrats show a potential inclination to oppose him. The shift in political landscape could lead to increased Congressional scrutiny of the Trump administration's dealings with China, exposing the impact of private companies on American foreign policy.
While Congress cannot overturn Trump's agreements with Xi, it can influence the political costs of implementing those deals. Democrats, now likely to control the House and possibly the Senate, would have a vested interest in opposing Trump's China policy for domestic gain. This could result in congressional committees demanding answers from key companies involved in US-China relations, leading to a more independent foreign policy.
China has already prepared for this shift, and as the House debates seating a Democratic speaker, Beijing is aware that it holds significant levers of influence over the US-China relationship.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
