Most observers did not expect a significant improvement in ties between China and the US, regardless of who took the White House. - Reuters
BEIJING: China said it has a consistent policy towards the United States, as President-elect Donald Trump gets ready for a second term after an election victory that is likely to portend greater unpredictability for bilateral ties as well as regional trade and security.
Asked how the election result could affect ties, China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a regular media briefing on Nov 6: “We will continue to view and handle China-US relations in accordance with the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation.”
The US and China, as strategic competitors, have clashed on a wide range of issues, from trade to technology to national security. Most observers did not expect a significant improvement in ties, regardless of who took the White House.
Dr William Choong, a senior fellow at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, believes that for China, Vice-President Kamala Harris is the lesser of two evils.
“The fear among Chinese analysts... is that Trump is prone to unilateralism and could lead to an acceleration of trade and tech decoupling between the two major economies,” he said in an analysis for The Straits Times.
Elsewhere, treaty allies and others in Asia said they look forward to working with Trump, even as greater uncertainty lies ahead, with the President-elect seen as offering a more transactional approach towards security partnerships.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who sent a congratulatory letter to Trump, said: “I would like to offer my heartfelt congratulations to Mr Trump on his victory, and also express my respect for the democratic choice of the people of the US.
“I would like to work closely with Mr Trump to elevate the Japan-US alliance and Japan-US relations to even greater heights,” he told reporters on Nov 6.
In a congratulatory statement, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said the bilateral partnership is a durable one to which Manila is fully committed because it is founded on shared ideals of freedom and democracy.
“I have personally met President Trump as a young man, so I know that his robust leadership will result in a better future for all of us,” he wrote on Instagram.
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra posted on X: “I look forward to working with you to advance (the) Thailand-US longstanding alliance for the benefit of our peoples and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.”
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol said on X: “Under your strong leadership, the future of the ROK (Republic of Korea)-US alliance and America will shine brighter. Look forward to working closely with you.”
Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te also congratulated Trump, adding that he was “confident the longstanding Taiwan-US partnership, built on shared values and interests, will continue to serve as a cornerstone for regional stability”.
The US is Taiwan’s biggest international backer, but relations could become more rocky under Trump. He has accused the self-governing island of stealing America’s chip industry and has questioned whether Taipei was paying the US enough to fund its defence.
Closer to the ground, regular folks offered a mixed bag of responses, from concern to excitement, judging by sentiments online to US election updates that were widely followed in Asia.
Some even offered foreign policy advice, as Trump is expected to throw up curveballs in his dealings with other countries. In the 2024 campaign, Trump claimed to be able to end the Russia-Ukraine war “in 24 hours”.
On Chinese social media, election updates trended throughout Nov 6, with Weibo posts bearing the hashtag “US election” drawing more than 17 billion views and four million comments.
“I’ve sacrificed my afternoon nap just to keep refreshing (for the latest updates),” said one Weibo user. Others posted congratulations to Trump as news of him carrying swing states poured in.
On Japanese video platform Niconico, a live feed of Trump’s speech was flooded with comments from conservative fans, including messages of “USA! USA!” and “Welcome back!”
But amid the torrent of ecstatic comments were voices of unease, including one that said: “What’s going to happen to Ukraine?”
In Indonesia, some wondered if the archipelago’s recent alignment with the China-backed BRICS grouping would lead to the country being seen as too close to Beijing.
Others warned of an impending trade war, tagging President Prabowo Subianto in their posts and calling for him to impose high tariffs on Chinese products, in line with what Trump is expected to do once in the White House – a move they believe would be a clear sign that Indonesia remains a US ally.
Some South Koreans even asked for the country to “begin developing nuclear weapons immediately”, especially in the face of increasingly acrimonious relations with North Korea in recent months.
During his first term, Trump had demanded a hefty rise in Seoul’s share of the costs of stationing US troops in South Korea and has described South Korea as a “very wealthy” nation in the current campaign.
Aside from security ties, export-dependent Asian countries are also grappling with potential trade implications. Trump has pledged to impose tariffs of 60 per cent or more on Chinese imports and tariffs of 10 per cent to 20 per cent on all other foreign goods.
While parts of Asia benefited from the initial Sino-US trade war, which began during the first Trump presidency from 2017 to 2021, analysts have warned that the proposed across-the-board tariffs could dampen trade in the region.
But Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was upbeat. In a Nov 6 statement, he expressed optimism about forging a renewed partnership with the US, which remains Malaysia’s largest source of foreign investment and a vital player in the Asia-Pacific region.
“As Asean chair in 2025, Malaysia hopes that America will reinvigorate its engagement with South-East Asia. We also urge the US to use its considerable influence to help end the devastating violence and loss of life in Palestine and Ukraine,” he added.
Dr Choong of the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute said it was not all doom and gloom for South-East Asia. He noted that Malaysia and Vietnam are beneficiaries of the Sino-US trade war, with the need to route China exports to the US via South-East Asia.
“South-East Asian countries are not without agency – they can work with the middle powers such as Australia, Britain, France and Japan even as Sino-US tensions increase. This will help to stabilise the region.”
*** Additional reporting by Tan Hui Yee, Zunaira Saieed, Walter Sim, Wendy Teo, Aqil Hamzah and Mara Cepeda
