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…
This year, US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping seem to have understood that their relationship should primarily be based on their personal connection. Trump has taken control of the US foreign policy, while Xi has built China's competition with the United States around this understanding. However, the upcoming midterm elections could change this dynamic.
Congressional Republicans have started to distance themselves from Trump, and his approval rating has dropped significantly. Democrats, on the other hand, have a political incentive to oppose Trump where it is convenient for them. They could investigate Trump's dealings with China, which could change the nature of America's strategic competition with China.
If Democrats win the House of Representatives, Trump's remaining two years in office could become much more complicated. Although China expects Congress to act independently, it is concerned about the potential political costs of implementing deals made with Trump.
Written by urgent.news from Reuters Business via SCMP's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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