The US elections are such that American people take the call to elect the president, but the impact ripples through the world. China has a lot at stake when it comes to who comes to power in the United States.
Whether it's a Democrat or a Republican, the outcome of US-China relations will be similar as both the parties regard China as their adversary.
China is calling for "peaceful coexistence" with the United States as Donald Trump inches closer to winning the presidential election against Kamala Harris.
Foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning emphasized China's commitment to mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation in handling China-US relations, stating, "We will continue to approach and handle China-US relations based on the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation".
Mao Ning refrained from directly commenting on Trump's potential re-election but acknowledged the US presidential election as an internal US affair, saying, "We respect the choice of the American people".
When asked if Chinese President Xi Jinping would congratulate Trump on his win, Mao Ning replied, "After the US election results are released and officially announced, we will handle related matters in accordance with usual practice".
The US presidential election has been a hot topic on China's Weibo platform, with both Trump and Harris pledging to take a tougher stance on Beijing. Trump has promised tariffs of 60 per cent on all Chinese goods entering the country, which analysts believe could lead to a larger stimulus package in China.
Trump's stance on China has been remarkably consistent since his 2016 campaign. Back then, he claimed that China's growth came at the expense of the United States' economic interests and vowed to launch a trade war, which he ultimately did. Fast-forward to the present, Trump still maintains that China's success is rooted in "theft of intellectual property rights" and "unfair trade practices" that harm American interests.
China's relations with the US have been strained since Trump's presidency, marked by a trade war and tariffs imposed on Chinese goods due to alleged unfair practices, such as theft of US technology and currency manipulation. These tensions have persisted under Joe Biden's administration, with Washington introducing new tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, EV batteries, and solar cells.
