Biden win opens door for improved predictability in China-U.S. relations: state media

Chinese state media struck an optimistic tone in Monday in editorials reacting to Democrat Joe Biden’s win of the U.S. presidential elections, saying relations could be restored to a state of greater predictability and could start with trade.

While acknowledging the United States was unlikely to ease pressure on China on issues such as Xinjiang and Hong Kong, state-backed newspaper Global Times said Beijing should work to communicate with the Biden team as thoroughly as it can.

The Trump administration had deliberately created tensions in China-U.S. relations, especially after adopting a campaign strategy of pressuring China, which led to “bubbles” occurring in U.S.-China policy, it said.

“We believe it is possible to pop those bubbles,” it said. “It’s in the common interests of people from both countries and of the international community that China-U.S. relations become eased and controllable.”

The Global Times is a tabloid published by the People’s Daily, the official newspaper of China’s ruling Communist Party, but does not speak on behalf of the party and government.

The China Daily newspaper said in a separate editorial it was “obvious” improving ties with China could start from trade, and reviving trade talks was critical to restoring some understanding and trust in China-U.S. relations.

“It is one of the last threads linking the two sides. It is notable that neither Beijing nor Washington has ventured to scrap the hard-earned so-called phase one deal they negotiated,” said the China Daily, the country’s official English language newspaper.

Tensions between the world’s two largest economies have intensified over the past year, shaking up technology supply chains and trade relations, and stoking fears that a financial war between the two countries could be brewing.

The U.S. pressure, along with the global pandemic, have set China on a mission to reduce its reliance on overseas markets and technology for its economic development, as part of a new “dual circulation” model of growth to steer its economy.

“China must become a country the U.S. cannot suppress or destabilize, and make it that cooperation with China is the best option for the U.S. to realize its national interests,” the Global Times added.