Western pushback against China will increase

Significance

Senior US officials see Communist-led China as the foremost threat to the United States. The Trump administration’s campaign against it spans the spectrum of government actions: criticism; tariffs; sanctions; regulatory crackdowns; military intimidation; support for Taiwan; and restrictions on imports, exports, investment and visas.

Impacts

• Beijing will have little success in driving a wedge between Washington and its major Western allies.
• The West is unlikely to produce a convincing alternative to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
• Negative public views of China incentivise China-bashing by politicians, which in turn feeds negative public opinion in a downward spiral.
• Beijing will persist in its efforts to encourage a more positive view of China among Western publics.