As the US-China trade war escalates, Chinese President Xi Jinping sees an opportunity to strengthen his country’s position as a global leader and promote his vision for a ‘win-win’ globalization.
The recent imposition of a 10% tariff on all Chinese goods by the ‘United States‘ has sparked a new wave of uncertainty in the global economy. However, amidst the turmoil, Chinese President Xi Jinping sees an opportunity to strengthen his country’s position as a global leader.
Xi Jinping is the current General Secretary of the Communist Party of China, President of the People's Republic of China, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission.
Born on June 15, 1953, in Beijing, Xi Jinping rose through the ranks of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to become one of the most powerful leaders in modern Chinese history.
He has implemented significant economic and foreign policy reforms, including the Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to revive the ancient 'Silk Road' trade routes.
Under his leadership, China has experienced rapid economic growth and global influence.
If China was angry at the US for imposing tariffs, it did a good job of hiding it. Instead, Beijing urged Washington to start talks, warning that there would be no winners in a trade war. The Chinese government may have remained calm in the hope of doing a deal with Washington to avoid further tariffs and keep the relationship between the two largest economies from spiralling out of control.
A Shift in Global Power Dynamics
The US-China trade war is not just about economics; it’s also about global power dynamics. China has been strengthening its trade agreements across Africa, South America, and South East Asia, making it the largest trading partner of over 120 countries. This shift in global power dynamics gives ‘Xi Jinping’ a unique opportunity to promote his vision for a ‘win-win’ globalization.
With a rich history dating back over 4,000 years, 'China' has emerged as a global economic powerhouse.
The country's GDP surpassed that of the United States in 2020, making it the world's largest economy.
China's rapid industrialization and urbanization have led to significant economic growth, with over 800 million people lifted out of poverty since 1981.
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has further solidified China's position as a major player in international trade and investment.
China’s Ambition for Global Governance
Xi Jinping has made no secret of his ambition for China to lead an alternative world order. Since the end of the Covid pandemic, he has travelled extensively and supported major international institutions such as the ‘World Bank‘ and agreements like the Paris climate accords. Chinese state media have portrayed this as embracing countries across the world and deepening diplomatic ties.
The US Retreats from Global Leadership
Meanwhile, the Trump administration’s ‘America First’ doctrine is weakening Washington‘s position as a global leader. The combination of tariffs on major trade partners and freezing of foreign assistance sends a message to the Global South and OECD alike that the ‘US’ is not interested in international partnership or collaboration.
A New Era for China-US Relations
The uncertainty of Trump’s presidency may well be an opportunity for China to upend the American-led world order of the last 50 years. Xi Jinping will likely look for ways to use this pendulum to swing the international community his way and within his sphere of influence. The question is, what does this mean for the future of US-China relations?
