Trump's Second Term: A Renewed U.S.-China Showdown

China's foreign minister hopes for the new Trump administration to work with Beijing, despite tensions. Trump and Xi once shared friendly terms, but relations cooled after the pandemic. As Trump pledges new tariffs, China prepares for tough negotiations on trade, technology, and bilateral issues.

China's top diplomat expressed his hopes on Tuesday for the incoming Trump administration to collaborate with Beijing, even as Donald Trump acknowledged strained ties with "friend" Xi Jinping due to COVID-19. "We hope the new U.S. administration will make the right choice," Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated in Beijing.

Trump's remarks came during his first news conference since winning the presidency, where he described Xi as an "amazing guy." However, he admitted the COVID-19 pandemic created a rift. "We had a very good relationship until COVID," Trump said from Mar-a-Lago in Florida.

With Trump's return to the White House imminent, China is poised to negotiate contentious issues like trade and technology. Trump plans further tariffs on Chinese goods if China doesn't curb fentanyl flows into the U.S., signaling a potential return to aggressive economic policies.

(With inputs from agencies.)