BEIJING – U.S. President Donald Trump, tagged as “business man” and “entertainer,” is bound to bring something different to America. With Trump coming into power, though, the relationship between America and China – the world’s two largest economies – will be more unpredictable in the new age, says one top Chinese scholar.
A tiny movement between US and China will have a big impact on global political climate change, said Shi Yinhong, in a March 16th lecture entitled “Trump, China and the World.”
Shi, an international political scholar from Renmin University of China, also interprets the relationship between America and China as an adviser to China’s State Council, which is consulted by State Prime Minister to make comments and suggestions about National affairs.
From Shi’s perspective, Trump won the presidential election mainly rely on his indulgence, narrow, exclusive and other traits. Because he never showed any respect for the American Constitutional Institution, attached to contemporary American mainstream values or commended broader international and transnational cooperation.
“Trump’s election represents an unprecedented change in the global political climate, and the post-war international order that we were familiar with seems to be getting behind,” Shi warned.
In the past, globalization and international cooperation occupied the mainstream. But now global political climate is changing rapidly toward nativism, populism and nationalism. This point of view can be backed up by Brexit and a tide of anti-establishment populist nationalism across Europe.
Trump, who declares his intent to “Make America Great Again,” has threatened to slap hefty tariffs on Chinese imports, which Shi says is likely to significantly exacerbate China’s primary difficulties, namely, economic and financial reform and development.
Moreover, in the military, diplomatic, cultural and other fields, the pressure and impact Trump brought will be unavoidable.
Tzui, a postgraduate student from School of Journalism and Communication, was inspired.
“It’s not just about Trump now,” she said. “I never knew that for us the age of peace has passed. The world is facing a huge challenge.”