China on alert as post-election US threatens turbulent times ahead
- Close result, regardless of outcome, could give new life to anti-China conspiracies between now and inauguration day
- Beijing’s priority is to avoid confrontation and military conflict with Washington in ‘dangerous times’
As voters in the United States prepare for the presidential election, the South China Morning Post is exploring the potential ramifications for China. The latest part of the US election series looks at the possible impacts of a close result, regardless of who wins the race for the White House.
The Chinese leadership is making it a priority to avoid confrontation and military conflict with Washington, they say, with increasing turbulence expected between now and the winner’s inauguration on January 20.
“Both candidates have a knack of using China as a sort of punching bag during their campaigns and they are expected to continue playing the China-bashing card, especially right after the election,” said a Chinese government adviser who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter.
“Should there be a crisis over the US election outcome, it will be a high-risk period for bilateral relations, risking another turn for the worse towards conflict, especially under Trump’s watch,” he said.
