Will the China Gamble pay off Trump

President Donald Trump, who is contesting his second term of Presidency, is continuously targeting China for no rhyme and reason. In a recent address to voters told them that if he loses in November, all Americans would have to learn Chinese. Last week his team put out a campaign video titled “With Joe Biden, China is in charge.” In fact it is great compliment from President of super power to China acknowledging their importance but at the same it is a damaging statement for Trump himself shows his weaknesses and trying to tell his voters that if he loses it will be on account of China that shows his state of mind and in a way it tantamount to accepting supremacy of China. President Trump in fact should have addressed two immediate issues confronting US, first the revival of the economy due to pandemic secondly how to overcome and control pandemic that has taken heavy toll of Americans over 225000 people.
It is very strange that China remains on the top as for as US elections are concerned, appears Trump is having some unknown fear and perhaps is not certain about his victory, whereas Joe Biden has not come so openly about China as Trump is doing. China undoubtedly is emerging as great economy of the world and ready to assume the role of super power without making any noise about it. Biden has been very frank in criticising Trump publicly about his trade war with China as a disaster.
In contrast to Trump’s unilateral approach about global issues Biden has vowed to reverse the withdrawal from the World Health Organization, if he gets in to the white House, that means Biden will have to reverse the US policy on China and try to repair the damage caused by Donald Trump and improve bilateral relations that would help specially US to revive dying economy.
China believes in age old principle of non interference in other countries affairs, policies, programs and projects undertaken by them but at the same time means business if someone crosses the red lines. China is least interested who wins US elections they want good relationships between the US that should help the people of both the countries to prosper. Despite provocations from Trump, China has kept herself away from dirty politics and act according to their own agenda that is based on mutual understanding. Since the spread of Pandemic we have witnessed a great war of words by Trump against China but the world has seen that how China fought the pandemic and helped the countries in controlling this menace duly acknowledged by World Health Organisation that has always remained baby of US. President of WHO apart from China has also paid tribute and appreciated the efforts of PM Imran Khan in fighting COVID-19. All credit goes to president WHO that continues to appreciate the role of China and their help to other countries in the shape of medicines, special dresses for Para medical staff and medicines, at a crucial time when US stopped all its funds.
Trump is determined to use China as his single most important foreign policy instrument in this election. By flaunting his economic measures against China and blaming China for his own failures in managing the pandemic, Trump hopes to get more support from his voters for his campaign. Since American voters by and large do not care about foreign policy in an election, will Trump’s attack on China actually win him vote’s looks it may not work, in any case Trump’s China card is not going to work. Four years in office Trump now going all out hoping to win elections on 3 November shall be remembered a different President of US in style and dealing with administration in most unconventional manner, remained unpredictable, hiring and firing has been his favourite hobby. He gave a popular slogan “America First” that was the turning point in his foreign policy. His behaviour as President of US has been different as compared to all past Presidents. How much people have appreciated his style of governance it shall depend on the result of elections. His handling of pandemic came under sharp criticism, when world needed more help and support from US he stopped funding of WHO because the President of WHO praised China for their excellent handling of Covid-19, whereas he kept blaming China for its spread. He primarily made China as focus of his foreign policy without achieving any tangible benefit, whereas China got laurels internationally for doing best for all the communities without any distinction. If Trump wins the world shall most probably see the rise of new Cold War. To please Israel he diverted his attention from Middle East and gave priority to bring closer UAE, Bahrain and trying to persuade KSA and other Muslim countries to recognise Israel. This step may give weight by voters.It will be seen what happens to his promise of pulling out troops from Afghanistan after Doha accord, he is otherwise against engaging targets beyond its frontiers and has criticised his predecessors.
Prominent voices in the Trump administration have argued that it is China, rather than Russia, that poses the main threat this year. But the United States pleasing Taiwan and the corona virus pandemic creating sharp divisions between Washington and Beijing. Even though Taiwan has never been controlled by China’s ruling Communist Party, but Beijing insist the democratic, self-governing island is an integral part of their territory, with Xi himself refusing to rule out military force to capture it if necessary. It is in this context that Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on troops to “put all (their) minds and energy on preparing for war” in a visit to a military base in the southern province of Guangdong, this was not welcomed by Trump . US intelligence believes “China prefers that President Trump – whom Beijing sees as unpredictable – does not win re-election”.
China is expanding its influence efforts to shape the policy environment in the United States, pressure political figures it views as opposed to China’s interests, and counter criticism of China. Although China has sophisticated ways to influence opinions
Even if Joe Biden wins the general assumption is that little could be done to halt the slide in relations between the world’s two biggest economies. Thus, China needed to accelerate efforts to develop high-end indigenous industries, expand into developing markets and look for opportunities to work with nations in Europe and Asia to counter any U.S. isolation efforts after the elections irrespective who wins. The deep feeling in the U.S. is that the U.S. should contain China,
Although Republicans traditionally emphasized economic ties with China, Trump has moved the party in a more confrontational direction, challenging the country in virtually every area of the relationship from China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea to trade, public health, human rights and technology. Trump has destroyed a lot of goodwill, at the start of the trade war, there were a lot of people who were pro-U.S., but they are now sympathetic to the hard-liners.Trump has sought to capitalize on his reputation for confronting China in the election, despite his early praise for Xi’s handling of the corona virus outbreak. In April, he told Reuters that “China will do anything they can to have me lose this race,” asserting without evidence that Beijing’s response to the virus was focused on a desire to see him lose in November. What a perception?
China’s foreign ministry reiterated its longstanding position that it never seeks to interfere in the internal affairs of other nations. Trump’s “America First” policies have created similar frictions in capitals that have traditionally been friendlier to the US. However China people are becoming more and more clear about the U.S.’s objectives and have not yet reached the darkest hour in the relationship.”
There is not a single large city where Republicans have their hold, they are confined to small towns and rural areas. If Republican lose it will be on account of Trump’s policies like anti immigrant, changes in Obama Health Care, trade war with China. If Joe Biden wins that is most likely the credit will go to Trump and nobody else. By the time this reaches the readers result should be out. Let us pray super power plays more positive role in the world and work together for global peace as China has done.