Donald Trump’s return to the White House is set to have profound implications for China, the world and the United States itself. In the second of a three-part series, Kawala Xie looks at the obstacles Trump faces in engaging Russia and North Korea, both closely aligned with China, as he tries to make good on his promise to end the Ukraine war.
Trump has claimed he would end the war in one day and has stated far more favourable views of Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un than outgoing US President Joe Biden, who has depicted them as existential threats.
The president-elect’s past praise of Putin and professed “love” for Kim have evoked speculation that he might re-engage the two in a way that upsets Beijing.
As analysts contend that Trump’s transactional approach to foreign affairs could lead him to pursue deals with Putin and Kim, they say he could face significant obstacles to doing so in his second term.
For starters, Trump would find it difficult to pull North Korea or Russia out of China’s “strategic bloc” given the three countries’ aligned interests in challenging the West.
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