Donald Trump has set out to disrupt America’s traditional relationships, prioritizing trade over stability and security. Do you think the United States and China are heading for a damaging trade war?
I don’t think that the deterioration in trading relations between the US and China is likely to stop any time soon. Trump has viewed China since the presidential campaign as exhibit A for countries that are ‘taking advantage’ of the United States in trading relations.
His actions make it very difficult for Xi Jinping to back down and it’s going to get worse before it gets better. The fact that we are headed into the midterm elections in November is likely to exacerbate things – partly because Trump needs issues to nationalize the midterms, and I think that China is one.
