Chinese netizens widely circulated the hashtag “Trump Total Defeat” following the Republican party’s performance in the US midterm elections, garnering over 70 million views on the Weibo microblogging platform by Wednesday evening. Despite this, Chinese officials signaled a continuation of existing diplomatic efforts, expressing confidence in advancing understandings reached with both Donald Trump and Xi Jinping.
Mao Ning, a spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, characterized the US elections as a “domestic affair” while affirming China’s desire to “expand cooperation, and build a China-U.S. relationship based on mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation.” This statement suggests Beijing intends to maintain its current approach to US-China relations, prioritizing engagement with the former president even after the Republican setbacks. The third summit between Trump and Xi is scheduled to take place in two weeks’ time.
The viral hashtag indicates a level of public awareness and discussion within China regarding the US political landscape, and potentially a degree of satisfaction with the outcome of the midterms. However, the official response underscores a strategic decision to prioritize stability in the relationship and continue dialogue with the individual who, during his presidency, engaged directly with Xi Jinping.
Our reading is that Chinese officials are prioritizing maintaining a working relationship with Donald Trump despite the Republican party’s midterm losses. The public circulation of the hashtag, while potentially reflecting some satisfaction with the election results, appears secondary to the official messaging. Beijing’s stated intention to continue engagement with Trump suggests a belief that direct communication with him is more valuable than attempting to build ties with emerging Republican leaders or the new Democratic majority.
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