Speculating on Trump's policies towards China

THE CORNER ORACLE

- ANDREW J. MASIGAN

President Donald Trump has always maintained a confrontational stance towards China. He counts the communist republic as the single most significant challenge to US economic and strategic interests not only in the Indo-Pacific but the world.

In his first presidential term, Trump took several measures aimed to curb China's military rise and blunt its growing influence in the Indo-Pacific. This included strengthening American military presence in the South China Sea, strengthening defense ties with regional allies and conducting joint military exercises with the Philippines.

He increased arms sales to Taiwan and passed the Taiwan Travel Act, which allowed high-level exchanges between the US and Taiwan. He deployed missile defense systems in the Indo-Pacific. He also confronted China for its military assertiveness.

How will Trump's second presidency look like as far as its relations with China goes? What will it mean for sovereign nations on the receiving end of Chinese aggression like Taiwan, the Philippines and even Australia?

Barely three months into his presidency and Trump's China policies are not yet so well defined. However, the selection of Marco Rubio as Secretary of State, Michael Waltz as National Security Adviser and Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense is a telling sign of Trump's posture vis-a-vis China.