The turmoil in the US presidential election season over the last several weeks has garnered a great deal of interest from across the world. Prior to the arrival of summer, several nations were considering the potential consequences of former President Donald Trump’s comeback to the White House, as well as the potential benefits of U.S. President Joe Biden serving a second term. These two options offered quite different prospects for geopolitics and the future position of the United States in international affairs to many different countries.
Subsequently, significant shifts occurred in July, when Biden unexpectedly said he was withdrawing from the presidential race and nominating Kamala Harris for vice president, and Trump came dangerously close to being killed.
China refrained from making an official statement about Trump vs. Biden, but that didn’t stop its internet pundits and strategic analysts from weighing in. One of them referred to the American leaders as “two bowls of poison” for Beijing. Since Harris entered the race, some in China have cheered for her victory while others consider her to be unsuitable.
Days after Biden endorsed Harris, the White House determined her to be the most eligible candidate for the position. That opinion was not shared by many Chinese pundits. According to South China Morning Post, senior fellow Einar Tangen of a think group in Beijing believes that Harris has even less chance of beating Trump than Biden has. “She hasn’t actually been that noticeable. “She’s not really up to handling any significant policy initiatives,” he remarked.
Chinese officials made the argument that Harris may win in a recent viral article. “Trump is undoubtedly a far stronger contender than Harris, no doubt about it. However, Harris is weak, which really serves her benefit. Because easily manipulated individuals are always desired by the deep, dark powers in the US,” It stated. “Trump’s strong ideas and strong personality are to his disadvantage.”
The report also stated that no matter how the elections turn out in the end, one thing is for sure: the country would be thrown into a political quagmire never seen before. It said that the US economy and hegemony will inevitably deteriorate as a result of Trump’s Make America Great Again (or “MAGA”) initiative and the related America-first policies. “On the one hand, Trump and his allies will not recognize Harris’ triumph, which will lead to turmoil. However, Harris’ incompetence and inefficient leadership would hasten the US’s collapse, the report stated.
Chinese analysts were quoted by the Communist Party-affiliated Global Times as characterizing Harris’s White House performance as “mediocre” and asserting that she lacked the “experience and achievements to serve as president.”
Professor Shen Dingli, a well-known specialist on Sino-US relations who is based in Shanghai, recently warned SCMP that Harris will be putting herself in danger if she suggests further punitive measures against China in an effort to challenge Trump.