Like it or not, Donald Trump is the US president-elect once again. Whether you find it beautiful or not, a tariff is a tariff, and Trump has threatened to slap a 60% one on Chinese imports. Deals will be made or broken, and the world braces for the shockwaves of his return to the White House.
The big question on everyone’s mind is, “What next?” Some predict damaging global impacts, while others believe Trump 2.0 may positively influence the world economy. But what does the Chinese business community think?
Trump is no stranger to Chinese business elites. He ignited the US-China trade war in 2018, but his interactions with Chinese businessmen date back to the 1990s, or maybe earlier. A Chinese version of his autobiography was published in 1989, and his involvement in the Chinese real estate market over the years has attracted media attention.
A well-known Chinese business media channel on WeChat, Wu Xiaobo Channel (吴晓波频道), conducted a survey to gauge sentiment among business circles, receiving 80 responses.
Overall, the majority of respondents view Trump as either ‘neutral’ or ‘positive,’ with 18% rating him ‘negative’ or ‘very negative.’ Not surprisingly, more manufacturers (36%) feel a deeper ‘Trump impact’ than those in the service industry (28%). Key expectations for future Sino-US relations include geopolitical stability and reduced trade frictions.
The findings are not conclusive but offer a glimpse into the minds of Chinese business people. Here are some interesting numbers:
👉 Diverse Impressions of Trump:
- – Shrewd: 34%
- – Fickle: 29%
- – High-handed: 18%
- – Conceited: 10%
- – Other (brave, honest, business-minded, unreliable): 9%
👉 Varied Impacts of Trump’s First Presidency:
- – No obvious impact: 43%
- – Significant positive impact: 10%
- – Some positive impact: 14%
- – Some negative impact: 25%
- – Significant negative impact: 8%
👉 Expectations for Future Sino-US Relations:
- – Challenges abound but with opportunities: 48%
- – Lots of difficulties and worrisome prospects: 21%
- – Optimistic with room for development: 19%
- – Other (weakening US influence, weaker Sino-US connection): 12%