Trump’s national security strategy to have no effect on foreign policy, says expert

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US President Donald Trump on Monday announced his national security strategy, labeling Beijing a strategic rival. That prompted Beijing to criticize the definition, and call on Washington to accept China’s rise.

But the situation might not be as dire as it may seem, according to some policy pundits.

Yang Xiyu, senior research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, recalled the warm exchange between the leaders of both countries and pointed out at the gap between policy guidelines and real policy.

"In the written policy document, they have to set up the definition of the nature of China-US relations as rival, but in daily affairs whenever Trump meets his counterpart in China, or his government meets the Chinese government, they have to face the challenges and opportunities."

The same view was echoed by Douglas Paal, vice president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

"The interesting thing I remember about this report is it tends to disappear within about 24 hours, it won’t have much influence on foreign policy."

Paal said it’s a cup-half-full or cup-half-empty situation, because there are elements in the strategy that contradict with the direction of the Trump administration’s policy.

"Reform and international trade institutions, diplomacy, strength of alliances… these are all things Trump has cast doubt upon his action, at the same time, his words on revisionism makes Russia a much bigger threat politically than anybody would normally see it to be, and has characterized China as trying to take over the world, and this is the cup-half empty, it’s a real mix-match."

Yang believed that Beijing has to respond to Washington’s move of defining bilateral relations with it as rival.

"By adjusting our policy towards the US, like stretching our capability to compete with the US although we hate to see competition with the US. But on the other hand, we firmly believe the cooperation benefits the most Chinese national interests. So basically we’ll insist on the so-called two-hand strategy."

World Insight With Tian Wei is a 45-minutes global affairs and debate show on CGTN. It airs weekdays at 10:15 p.m. BJT (1415GMT) with rebroadcasts at 4:15 a.m. BJT (20:15GMT)