Opinion | Trump effect already felt as China scrambles to mend ties with US allies

Beijing’s moves to ease tensions with India, Japan and others appear to be part of strategy to avoid clash with Donald Trump’s White House

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In his most recent meeting with US counterpart Joe Biden (left) in Peru last month, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that “a new cold war should not be fought and cannot be won”. Photo: TNS

Published: 8:47pm, 17 Dec 2024Updated: 10:35pm, 17 Dec 2024

The Donald Trump effect is already in play around the world, accelerating the realignment of powers and inducing policy changes in many places, including China, even before the former US president’s return to the White House next month.

While Chinese officials seldom admit fears about Trump’s re-election and tariff threats, Beijing has scrambled to take some unusual steps to offset the potential disruption in bilateral ties. These include patching up ties with important neighbours such as Japan and India.

China’s top diplomat Wang Yi and India’s national security adviser Ajit Doval are scheduled to meet in Beijing on Wednesday for their first high-level border talks since a deadly clash along their Himalayan frontier in June 2020.

This marks the latest attempt by the Asian powers to ease acrimonious tensions following a surprise border patrol agreement between Beijing and New Delhi in late October aimed at ending four years of hostilities along their disputed border.

On Tuesday, China announced it would extend its visa-free transit policy for eligible foreign travellers from 54 countries, including the US, Japan, South Korea and Australia, allowing them to stay for up to 10 days.

The unusual measure, effective immediately, is aimed at attracting foreign tourists and investors and repairing Beijing’s image, which has been tarnished by its rancorous feuds with Washington and its hyper-nationalistic Wolf Warrior diplomacy.