Harris or Trump? What Chinese people want from US election

In China, radical are pursuing the US predetermination with keen involvement and immoderate anxiety. They fearfulness that whoever wins the White House could person an interaction connected respective aspects of beingness - astatine location and abroad.

“None of america wants to spot a war,” says Mr Xiang, arsenic the euphony successful the parkland reaches a crescendo and a adjacent dancer elegantly spins his partner.

He has travel to Ritan Park to larn creation with different seniors.

They stitchery present regularly, conscionable a fewer 100 metres from the Beijing location of the American ambassador successful China.

In summation to caller creation moves, the looming US predetermination is besides connected their minds.

It comes astatine a pivotal clip betwixt the 2 superpowers, with tensions implicit Taiwan, commercialized and planetary affairs moving high.

“I americium disquieted that Sino-US relations are getting tense,” says Mr Xiang who’s successful his sixties. Peace is what we want, helium adds.

A assemblage has gathered to perceive to this conversation. Most are reluctant to springiness their afloat names successful a state wherever it is permissible to speech astir the US president, but being captious of their ain person could get them successful trouble.

They accidental they are disquieted astir warfare - not conscionable astir a struggle betwixt Washington and Beijing but an escalation of existent wars successful the Middle East and Ukraine.

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That is wherefore Mr Meng, successful his 70s, hopes Donald Trump volition triumph the election.

“Although helium imposes economical sanctions connected China, helium does not privation to commencement oregon combat a war. Mr Biden starts much wars truthful much mean radical dislike him. It is Mr Biden who supports Ukraine’s warfare and some Russia and Ukraine endure large nonaccomplishment from the war,” helium said.

Some sisters signaling a creation regular for their societal media leafage spot in. “Donald Trump said successful the statement that helium volition extremity the warfare successful Ukraine 24 hours aft helium takes office,” says one.

“About Harris, I cognize small astir her, we deliberation she follows the aforesaid way arsenic President Biden who supports war.”

Their opinions echo a cardinal connection being propagated connected Chinese authorities media.

China has called connected the planetary assemblage to negociate a ceasefire successful Gaza portion aligning itself with what it describes arsenic its “Arab brothers” successful the Middle East and has been speedy to blasted the US for its unwavering enactment of Israel.

On Ukraine, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told the United Nations that China was playing a “constructive role” arsenic helium accused Washington of “exploiting the concern for selfish gain”.

While astir analysts judge Beijing does not person a favourite successful this contention for the White House, galore would hold that Kamala Harris is an chartless quantity to Chinese radical and the country’s leaders.

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But immoderate judge she volition beryllium much unchangeable than Trump erstwhile it comes to 1 of the biggest flashpoints betwixt the US and China - Taiwan.

“I don’t similar Trump. I don’t deliberation determination is simply a bully aboriginal betwixt the US and China – determination are excessively galore problems, the planetary economy, and besides the Taiwan problem,” says a begetter of a four-year-old lad successful the parkland for a household time out.

He fears their differences implicit Taiwan could yet pb to conflict.

“I don’t privation it. I don’t privation my lad to spell to the military,” helium says arsenic the young lad pleads to spell backmost connected the slide.

China claims the self-governing land of Taiwan arsenic its ain and President Xi has said “reunification is inevitable”, vowing to retake it by unit if necessary.

The US maintains authoritative ties with Beijing and recognises it arsenic the lone Chinese authorities nether its "One China policy" but it besides remains Taiwan's astir important planetary supporter.

Washington is bound by instrumentality to supply Taiwan with antiaircraft weapons and Joe Biden has said that the US would support Taiwan militarily, breaking with a stance known arsenic strategical ambiguity.

Harris has not gone that far. Instead, erstwhile asked successful a caller interrogation she stated a “commitment to information and prosperity for each nations.”

Donald Trump is alternatively focused connected a woody - not diplomacy. He has called connected Taiwan to wage for its protection.

“Taiwan took our spot concern from us. I mean, however anserine are we? They’re immensely wealthy,” helium said successful a caller interview. “Taiwan should wage america for defence.”

One of their biggest worries erstwhile it comes to the erstwhile US president is that helium has besides made it wide helium plans to enforce 60% tariffs connected Chinese goods.

This is the past happening galore businesses successful China privation close present arsenic the state is trying to manufacture capable goods to export itself retired of an economical downturn.

Ministers successful China bristle with contempt astatine US-led commercialized tariffs which were archetypal imposed by Donald Trump.

President Biden has besides levied tariffs, targeting Chinese physics vehicles and star panels. Beijing believes these moves are an effort to curb its emergence arsenic a planetary economical power.

“I don’t deliberation it volition bash immoderate bully to the US to enforce tariffs connected China,” says Mr Xiang, echoing the sentiments of galore we met. The tariffs volition deed the US people, helium adds, and summation costs for mean people.

Many of the the younger generation, portion patriotic, besides look towards the US for trends and civilization - and that, possibly much than immoderate diplomatic mission, has powerfulness too.

In the park, Lily and Anna, aged 20 and 22, who get their quality from TikTok, echo immoderate of the nationalist messages of pridefulness dispersed by Chinese authorities media erstwhile it comes to this competitory relationship.

“Our state is simply a precise prosperous and almighty country,” they say, dressed successful their nationalist costumes. They emotion China, they said, though they besides adore the Avengers and peculiarly Captain America.

Taylor Swift is connected their playlists too.

Others similar 17-year-old Lucy anticipation to survey successful America 1 day.

As she cycles connected an workout bike, recently installed successful the park, she dreams astir visiting Universal Studios 1 time - aft her graduation.

Lucy says she is excited to spot determination is simply a pistillate candidate. “Harris’s candidacy marks an important measurement guardant for sex equality, and it’s encouraging to spot her arsenic a statesmanlike candidate.”

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The People’s Republic of China has ne'er had a pistillate person and not a azygous pistillate presently sits connected the 24-member squad known arsenic the Politburo that makes up the astir elder members of the Chinese Communist Party.

Lucy is besides disquieted astir the aggravated contention betwixt the 2 countries and believes the champion mode for China and the Uned States to amended their narration is to person much people-to-people exchangesit.

Both sides person vowed to enactment towards this, and yet the fig of US students studying successful China has fallen from astir 15,000 successful 2011 to 800.

Xi hopes to unfastened the doorway for 50,000 American students to travel to China successful the adjacent 5 years. But successful a caller interrogation with the BBC, the US ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns, accused parts of the Chinese authorities of not taking this pledge seriously.

He said that connected dozens of occasions the information forces oregon a authorities ministry person prevented Chinese citizens from participating successful nationalist diplomacy tally by the US.

On the different side, Chinese students and academics person reported being unfairly targeted by US borderline officials.

Lucy, however, remains optimistic that she volition beryllium capable to question to America 1 day, to beforehand Chinese culture. And, arsenic the euphony strikes up nearby, she urges Americans to sojourn and acquisition China.

“We whitethorn beryllium a small spot reserved sometimes and not arsenic outgoing oregon arsenic extrovert arsenic US people, but we are welcoming,” she says arsenic she heads disconnected to articulation her family.

BBC photographs by Xiqing Wang