Historically, a US president’s travel desires have been intriguing but not world-shaking. That is unless that president is Donald Trump, who has expressed his intention to visit America’s nemesis, the People’s Republic of China (PRC), as soon as possible. Picking up where he left off as the 45th chief executive four years ago, Trump wants to address issues between the United States and the PRC without delay.
China’s Xi Reached Out to Trump
Some indication that China might be more conciliatory toward US interests was evident in Xi Jinping’s phone call to Trump four days before he took office. If this signals an improvement in the relationship between the United States and the CCP, it stands in stark contrast to the Biden administration. Its first diplomatic encounter with the CCP was held at the ministerial level between then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his counterpart, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who dominated the discussions. Because the first encounter occurred at the ministerial level, perhaps there was concern Biden was not up to the task of engaging Xi personally. Trump does not suffer from this sort of apprehension when meeting with his global leadership peers.
The Wall Street Journal broke the story of Trump’s desire to visit China or inviting Xi to meet personally with the newly elected president:
“Donald Trump has told advisers he wants to travel to China after he takes office, according to people familiar with the discussions, seeking to deepen a relationship with Xi Jinping strained by the president-elect’s threat to impose steeper tariffs on Chinese imports … One of the people familiar with the discussion [Jan. 17 phone call] said Trump has expressed interest in traveling to China in his first 100 days in office.”
Many significant and substantive issues are festering between the two countries. The most immediate problem is the TikTok ban. However, Trump believes there are more pressing bilateral issues. “Notably, trade tensions between the US and China have been escalating in recent months with the Biden-Harris administration announcing in December export restrictions on certain chips and semiconductor equipment,” the Daily Caller explained. This move prompted the PRC to retaliate by limiting the export of some rare earth metals and other natural resources critical to the production of high-tech equipment.
Trump has made his position very clear regarding the use of tariffs and other economic tools to achieve US foreign policy and national security aims. “In December, he vowed to issue an executive order imposing 25% tariffs on all US imports from China, Mexico, and Canada on his first day in office — further pledging to slap an additional 10% tariff on China for failing to curb illicit fentanyl exports,” the New York Post observed.
However, when looking at all the national security problems facing the Trump administration’s interaction with the CCP, tariffs and TikTok may pale in comparison with China’s designs on economic and military dominance globally. Topics such as threatening Sino-Russian naval warship exercises within miles of US borders in the Bering Sea near Alaska, a menacing presence in Central and South America, warlike operations close to and within Taiwan’s and the Philippines’ economic exclusion zones, and illegal attempts to restrict international ocean transportation through the South China Sea should be high on President Trump’s to-do list.
Getting Out Front First With China
Further evidence of Trump’s intention to prioritize China issues is that one “of the Trump administration’s first foreign policy acts will be a meeting with foreign ministers of the Quad alliance — Japan, India, and Australia — on Tuesday [Jan. 21], according to four people familiar with the planning,” Politico reported. The Quad is designed to establish a regional partnership to address China’s growing intrusion into the sovereignty of the Indo-Pacific community. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead the meeting.
Though the PRC’s hegemonic aspirations are just one of many diplomatic and economic challenges facing the newly minted administration, Trump is eager to confront China, moving with gusto to do America’s business. Once recovered from the shock of Trump’s comeback, the rest of the world would do well to catch up.
The views expressed are those of the author and not of any other affiliate.
