The Trump Administration’s Policy Changes on China and Their Destructive Ramifications for US-China Relations

Abstract

This article analyzes the change in policy discourse of the Trump administration and its destructive effects on US-China relations. It begins with a retrospective look at the China policies of two prior US administrations, those of President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama, in order to show just how significant the shift is. Following the review are analyses of the new policy discourse on China and how China has responded to it, especially in the context of the coronavirus pandemic. The last section of this article discusses a popular theme in recent academic circles: Is a new Cold War inevitable?