President Donald Trump’s so-called “America First Priorities” are in some cases being welcomed with open arms by Chinese officials, who have said that the United States’ growing isolation and provocative trade policy is helping China “increase its global influence.”
“China may suffer economically because of the tariffs, but politically, China is gaining more sympathy and more support from other countries, and not just in the Global South,” said Xinbo Wu, who leads the Institute of International Studies at Fudan University and Shanghai as its dean, speaking with the Wall Street Journal Friday. “We now certainly face less diplomatic pressure than we did under the Biden administration.”
Under Trump’s second administration, he levied high tariffs on China, which Wu said were elevating China’s position on the world stage. The Trump administration has also slapped a 50% tariff rate on India, long a key ally to the United States used to combat China’s influence in the region.
Trump’s 50% tariff on India, among the highest of any country and imposed for it continuing to purchase Russian oil, is now appearing to backfire. India halted a weapons purchase from the United States, and now, its prime minister is set to appear at a Chinese summit, the first such instance since 2018 that has some experts worried of the two countries developing stronger ties.
“The United States under Trump is launching a revolution after revolution; the Chinese know well about revolutions, and we know that you better know what the consequences will be if you launch a revolution,” said Victor Gao, a former Chinese diplomat who served as an interpreter to former Chinese Paramount Leader Deng Xiaoping, speaking to the Wall Street Journal.
“I don’t think Trump is fully aware of the consequences of all these tremendous forces he’s unleashing around the world.”
Set to commence on Sunday, the annual Chinese summit was initially created to boost ties with Russia and Central Asian nations, though has grown recently to include India and other countries the United States labels as advisories, including Iran. And Trump’s continued ‘America First’ policies, according to Indrani Bagchi, chief executive of the think tank Ananta Centre in New Delhi, are only strengthening those ties.
“India doesn’t see the U.S. as an adversary, but Trump appears to be viewing India as an adversary,” Bagchi said, speaking with the Wall Street Journal. “And, if you’re getting hit by Trump, it makes sense to smoke a peace pipe with the Chinese for a little while.”