China’s Xi Jinping stays silent on Donald Trump’s defeat, but appears to be preparing for a President Biden

Early reactions in China to the election of Joe Biden as the next US President have struck a positive but uncertain tone, with state media and commentators hopeful of a less adversarial relationship between the world’s top two powers.

China’s President Xi Jinping is yet to congratulate Mr Biden, nor has any official media mouthpiece voiced a commentary.

But state media outlets are already pondering what may change.

“Strategic trust has been destroyed, high level political exchanges have almost completely stopped and there’s no substantial cooperation,” Xin Qiang, a US studies expert at Fudan University, told state media.

“But Biden may at least make some breakthroughs on the latter two aspects.”

Commentaries promoted in China’s highly censored media environment have taken a measured tone, and even nationalistic writers are holding their fire for the domestic audience.

“Analysts generally are not clear on whether Biden’s policies towards China will soften or adjust, but at least I think it’s possible a future Biden administration will do away with the performative aspect of Trump’s stance towards China,” wrote Hu Xijin, the editor of China’s jingoistic tabloid Global Times.

“China must think about its bottom lines and prepare for all contingencies,” he wrote, while urging Beijing to avoid “provoking” Mr Trump personally so that any anger he holds doesn’t influence future US-China ties.

Source : Agencies