These days, no one in the upper echelons of Washington envy Xie Feng. The Chinese ambassador to the United States tried to establish links with the circle of Donald Trump. Without much success.
According to correspondents based in the American capital, a good part of their efforts currently consists of hobnobbing with senior officials or academics specializing in China. He meets them at their residence to see if it is possible for them to share a phone number or, at least, to give them an idea of who they can talk to. In short, who would be willing to listen to the message from Beijing.
The rush would respond to what Evan Medeirosprofessor at Georgetown and former senior White House official dedicated to managing relations between the United States and Asia, sees it as a feeling of dizziness. And Trump’s victory in the elections, as he assured Financial Timeswould have caught the Chinese “on the wrong foot”. In fact, another of Feng’s main tasks right now is asking his contacts in the Democratic Party how to handle the president-elect.
The mission: to seduce the North American business community
Apparently, the approach that the Chinese embassy is trying to take is to make businessmen close to Trump understand the advantages of getting along with the Asian giant. The idea, of course, is that these businessmen then pass the idea on to the boss himself. Let them go to Mar-a-Lago and argue that their own interests are at stake in order to soften a trade policy that many view as very hostile to China. And which will consist, if the predictions come true, in a substantial increase in customs duties, more fines, etc.
The problem is that, at the moment, none of the topics of interest Feng has in mind seem very willing to listen to him. “There is a widespread belief that the meetings will consist primarily of Chinese officials reading out the talking points,” he said – also at Financial Times– a Pacific expert called Ann Kowalewski who has advised several congressmen and senators on the issue.
One of the questions some are asking is how it is possible that Trump’s victory caught the Chinese off guard. Would they have perhaps thrown it away after the removal of Joe Biden and the rise of Kamala Harris on the front line of battle? Unlikely. What seems more likely is that this “change of foot,” as Medeiros puts it, is due less to a lack of foresight than to an absence of results.
We know, for example, that Cui TiankaiChina’s ambassador to the United States during Trump’s first term, spent much of the year trying to reconnect with the sources he once cultivated within the circle. trumpeter. Without success. We also know that the stands of the best restaurants in Washington have hosted countless meetings in recent months between senior officials of the Chinese Communist Party sent by the Chinese leader, Xi Jinpingand members of the American elites. With little success too.
So it’s not that Beijing hasn’t been trying to build bridges for some time; It’s that when Trump was elected, three weeks ago, he still hadn’t achieved it. And in these, they are.
New names worry Beijing
The burden on the Chinese does not only come from the rhetoric used by the Republican Party during the election campaign. The same goes for the appointments Trump has announced so far for his next cabinet.
Mike Waltza Florida congressman named new national security adviser, called China an “existential danger.” For example. Marco Rubiowho will assume the post of Secretary of State starting in January, also uses extremely critical rhetoric towards China. To cite a second example. AND Elise Stefanikwhich will represent the leading world power before the United Nations, idem.
“These dates are like walking into the living room on Christmas morning and finding it full of presents,” he says. Eric Sayersone of the experts from Beacon Global Strategies – a consultancy specializing in geopolitics – in reference to those who believe that China must be stopped. In the same spirit, it was expressed Michael Gallagherformer Republican Party congressman, has repeatedly stated: “The nominations of Waltz and Rubio send a message to Beijing: the era of comfort is over. »
The only ray of light – and it is a somewhat relative ray of light – would be found in Elon Musk. Considered today as one of Trump’s trusted men, the billionaire would have already assured him – according to the geopolitics expert Ian Bremmer– to prominent members of the Chinese Communist Party who are willing to mediate between them and Trump regarding trade policy affecting the tech industry. And its car manufacturer, Tesla, whose production chain owes a lot to China, could benefit from a relaxation of controls on certain exports.
“When Chinese leaders have something important to say to Trump, Elon Musk will probably be the best way to make it clear to him,” he told the newspaper. New York Times a consultant specializing in the Chinese automobile industry called Michael Dunné.
Despite all of the above, those who are familiar with Chinese diplomacy and the way it works believe that everything will be much simpler. “It is worth remembering that Trump already has a relationship with Xi,” a well-known expert called Xi commented a few days ago in reference to the Chinese leader. Myron Brillantan acquaintance of Feng and analyst in a company specializing in international relations and global trade, during a conversation with the journalist Démetri Sébastopoulo. “And it is most likely he who will favor the private communication channel with the Chinese president.”
