The upcoming presidential election in the United States could significantly impact China-U.S. relations, though it’s uncertain how each candidate will ultimately approach Beijing. Neither major candidate is perceived as being willing to improve the bilateral relationship at this point, so things could very well get worse.

If Harris, the current vice president of the United States, is elected president in November, her administration will likely not make radical changes to America’s existing China policies, although some nuanced adjustments could occur in areas such as combating anti-Asian racism and fostering economic stability. Those hoping for improvements should remain realistic about the slim odds of that happening.

The critique of Tim Walz’s China experience reflects an effort by some to raise concerns about his background and character, yet much of the narrative appears to exaggerate a fairly ordinary and educational journey abroad. Even more, it’s important to recognize that Walz's experiences provide him with a nuanced perspective, reflecting hard-won observation and original thought born of humility, respect, and a willingness to listen.

China-U.S. ties will suffer historic harm if Donald Trump’s party wins the White House and a majority of both houses of Congress. Conservative voices have already made their anti-China agenda abundantly clear.

As the 2024 U.S. presidential election takes an unexpected turn with Kamala Harris stepping in as the Democratic candidate and Donald Trump showing strong poll numbers, there have been a variety of speculations surrounding future U.S. policies toward China. As in past presidential campaigns, adopting a "tough on China" stance tends to be a winning strategy with voters, so we can likely expect increased critiques in the coming months. But no matter which candidate wins in November, China policies are not likely to change very much from the past two administrations.

The 2024 Republican Party Platform in the United States reveals much about the direction Donald Trump’s foreign policy would take if he were re-elected. His words and past behavior, paint a sobering picture that is tinged by right-wing ideology.

Can an assassination attempt improve a candidate’s chances of winning an election? Taiwan’s experience suggests that it might. During its 2004 presidential election, polls showed then-President Chen Shui-bian trailing his opponent, Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) candidate Lien Chan. But this changed abruptly the day before the vote, when Chen and Vice President Annette Lu were shot during an election rally.

The unpredictable nature of Trump's China policy, influenced by his ideology, foreign policy team, and personal vendettas, makes it difficult to anticipate the direction of U.S.-China relations under a potential second Trump administration.

In 2018, Steve Bannon, then-US President Donald Trump’s chief strategist, argued that the United States needed to “decouple” from China. Since then, the term has become a fixture in discussions of Sino-American relations – to the point that some, such as former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, have warned that it could become a self-fulfilling prophecy. How salient is that risk today?

The Trump administration was riddled with strife, perhaps none more vociferous than his vendetta against China. Joe Biden is now left with a web of conflicts to untangle, but with common sense negotiations perhaps the ship will be righted sooner than expected.