The confrontation between the US and China during the presidency of Donald Trump could surpass the Cold War in intensity. This was stated to the British newspaper Financial Times Evan Medeiros, a professor at Georgetown University in Washington, who worked in the administration of the US National Security Council from 2009 to 2015.
„A lot can go wrong. Beijing is no less confident in itself than the Trump team. Both sides believe that they have the advantage and can inflict more damage on their opponents and withstand more retaliatory strikes, believes the expert specializing in US-China relations.
“The emerging dynamics of relations could prove to be complex and destabilizing for the world, and in the best case scenario, end in a truce. And I'm only talking about economic issues, without touching on Taiwan, the South China Sea, technological competition and the modernization of nuclear arsenals. The Cold War is starting to look like a pleasant memory in comparison.”
According to Medeiros, Beijing believes it is better prepared for a new round of confrontation with the Trump administration than it was in 2017, partly because Washington's global influence in the countries of the global South is declining, while Beijing's role is growing. As the author of the article points out, China assumes that the United States and its allies will remain hostile to Beijing.
“Chinese President Xi Jinping has already made it clear that his relationship with Trump will be pure business, albeit in a Don Corleone style. He will not rush into Trump's arms and will respond to his moves quickly and harshly to create an advantage for himself. In fact, Beijing has already declined an invitation for Xi to attend Trump's inauguration,“ writes Medeiros.