With Kevin McCarthy having been ousted as House speaker, complex internal disputes within the Republican Party will likely persist. If China issues continue to be stoked for political gain, China-U.S. relations may yet face new challenges at the congressional level.

The installation of Kevin McCarthy as speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives portends stormy weather ahead for U.S.-China relations. President Joe Biden will face more congressional policy challenges as ultra-radical Republican exert their power. And if McCarthy follows through on a pledge to visit Taiwan, bilateral ties will be seriously compromised.

Republicans narrowly captured a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, so President Biden will likely face more internal pressure to play tough with China. But there is also reason to believe that tensions will ease as Trumpism fades.

With a White House and Senate held by Democrats and the House of Representatives held by Republicans, more complexity may come to China-U.S. relations. A change in House leadership may bring out the China hawks in greater numbers.

As a new election cycle is upon the American public, candidates are looking to capture votes by pointing at the China-boogeyman - now a bipartisan cause. How we ended up with lashing out at China as one of 2022’s safest political plays deserves a dive into the background and facts.

A worsening public opinion on Beijing has led candidates in both parties to adopt stances that are hard-on-China, which could lead to increased legislation, tariffs, and export controls after the Midterms.