Michael Schuman: “As President Trump has charged into a conflict with American allies over Greenland in recent weeks, he has also been pursuing an unlikely new friend: Communist China. Even for a politician known for erratic policy shifts, this swap—of longtime democratic partners that have sacrificed much for America’s benefit in exchange for an authoritarian regime intent on undermining it—is bizarre. It also highlights the risks that Trump’s personalized form of diplomacy presents to American national security and the balance of global power.
“Although a hard line on China was a centerpiece of Trump’s first term, he has gone soft in his second. The president has removed nearly all of the tariffs that he imposed on Chinese imports last year, and he has loosened controls on the sale of advanced American semiconductors to China—over the objections of national-security experts—on the condition that Nvidia coughs up a cut of its sales to the U.S. government. Trump also hailed his October 2025 summit with China’s leader, Xi Jinping, as a meeting of the ‘G2,’ or ‘Group of 2,’ a flattering nod to the idea that the United States and China are the two most powerful countries in the world.
“Trump has also lately seemed to take Beijing’s side regarding Taiwan, which China continues to claim as its own. The Trump administration has scaled down its interactions with Taiwan’s government, and in November, the president reportedly asked Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to not escalate a dispute with Beijing over comments she had made about China’s threat to Taiwan. That conversation took place shortly after Trump had spoken with Xi, who reinforced Beijing’s position on Taiwan.
“Even the most well-connected China experts in Washington are left guessing about what Trump hopes to achieve by placating Xi. One possibility is that Trump’s pivot is a strategic feint to secure a truce in a trade war that has revealed significant American vulnerabilities. Given China’s dominance of rare earth materials, which are vital to advanced manufacturing, Xi’s restrictions on exports in response to Trump’s tariffs had harmed U.S. industries. In negotiations with Washington, Xi pledged to restart supplies and temporarily suspend some of China’s export controls on these metals, but he could easily resume these measures if tensions escalate again.
“Trump may be appeasing Xi to buy some time as he seeks alternative sources of rare earths—in Greenland and elsewhere. But considering that securing these commodities could take years of U.S. investment, Trump may be pacifying Xi for longer than he expected.”
Is he really? This article is more motivated by animus towards Trump than any kind of clear eyed analysis.
vovap_vovap on
I think that fundamentally misconception „Trump Cozying Up to China“. I think reality is that he know (well, administration knows) they can not do more without damaging also US economy – and that one thing they can not afford. Just as simple as that – do not have ability to do more.
DodgyWiper on
Just last week he threatened Canada with 100% tarriffs if they make trade deal wirh China.
Gajanvihari on
So we post this ‚Trump is bad‘ when there are reports of a purge at the very top of the CCP? The Atlantic loves China more than anyone.
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Michael Schuman: “As President Trump has charged into a conflict with American allies over Greenland in recent weeks, he has also been pursuing an unlikely new friend: Communist China. Even for a politician known for erratic policy shifts, this swap—of longtime democratic partners that have sacrificed much for America’s benefit in exchange for an authoritarian regime intent on undermining it—is bizarre. It also highlights the risks that Trump’s personalized form of diplomacy presents to American national security and the balance of global power.
“Although a hard line on China was a centerpiece of Trump’s first term, he has gone soft in his second. The president has removed nearly all of the tariffs that he imposed on Chinese imports last year, and he has loosened controls on the sale of advanced American semiconductors to China—over the objections of national-security experts—on the condition that Nvidia coughs up a cut of its sales to the U.S. government. Trump also hailed his October 2025 summit with China’s leader, Xi Jinping, as a meeting of the ‘G2,’ or ‘Group of 2,’ a flattering nod to the idea that the United States and China are the two most powerful countries in the world.
“Trump has also lately seemed to take Beijing’s side regarding Taiwan, which China continues to claim as its own. The Trump administration has scaled down its interactions with Taiwan’s government, and in November, the president reportedly asked Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to not escalate a dispute with Beijing over comments she had made about China’s threat to Taiwan. That conversation took place shortly after Trump had spoken with Xi, who reinforced Beijing’s position on Taiwan.
“Even the most well-connected China experts in Washington are left guessing about what Trump hopes to achieve by placating Xi. One possibility is that Trump’s pivot is a strategic feint to secure a truce in a trade war that has revealed significant American vulnerabilities. Given China’s dominance of rare earth materials, which are vital to advanced manufacturing, Xi’s restrictions on exports in response to Trump’s tariffs had harmed U.S. industries. In negotiations with Washington, Xi pledged to restart supplies and temporarily suspend some of China’s export controls on these metals, but he could easily resume these measures if tensions escalate again.
“Trump may be appeasing Xi to buy some time as he seeks alternative sources of rare earths—in Greenland and elsewhere. But considering that securing these commodities could take years of U.S. investment, Trump may be pacifying Xi for longer than he expected.”
Read more: [https://theatln.tc/rtPMfRAu](https://theatln.tc/rtPMfRAu)
Is he really? This article is more motivated by animus towards Trump than any kind of clear eyed analysis.
I think that fundamentally misconception „Trump Cozying Up to China“. I think reality is that he know (well, administration knows) they can not do more without damaging also US economy – and that one thing they can not afford. Just as simple as that – do not have ability to do more.
Just last week he threatened Canada with 100% tarriffs if they make trade deal wirh China.
So we post this ‚Trump is bad‘ when there are reports of a purge at the very top of the CCP? The Atlantic loves China more than anyone.