Tough-talking loose cannon or seasoned status quo: how the US choice for president will affect China

Predictions abound regarding the future of US foreign policy under either a Clinton or Trump presidency. While much of the campaign’s rhetoric and analysis suggest that both candidates would usher in significant changes in US policy, in reality the choice between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump is a choice between predictable continuity and fundamental unpredictability.

This applies, in all likelihood, to the US-China relationship. While many may welcome the prospect of change, America, China and the world should be wary of the risks.

What would the victory of either of these candidates mean for US-China relations in the near term?

Answering this question is rendered difficult by the fact that China issues have been eclipsed by talk of Islamic State, Russia and terrorism, and domestic issues greatly overshadow foreign policy to begin with.

Whether its president Trump or Clinton, Asia needs to prepare for the good, the bad and the ugly

For the most part, it is Trump who invokes China: it is a currency manipulator that steals American jobs; its assertiveness in the South China Sea is proof of US President Barack Obama’s weakness.