Initial reaction to Trump speech muted in China but space competition could rise


While the initial reaction to US President Donald Trump’s inauguration speech was fairly muted in China, his pledge to plant the American flag on Mars is likely to escalate the space race between the two powers.

Bitcoin reached a new all-time high early on Monday but pulled back after Trump’s inauguration.

Concurrently, Trump’s newly-launched meme coin, which debuted at nearly US$6.50 on Friday, soared to a peak of US$73 on Sunday before falling to below US$40 hours after the ceremony.

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In his inaugural address, Trump downplayed his stance on China and other foreign policy issues, preferring to emphasise domestic priorities and his vision of a “golden age” for the US.

He promised to “overhaul” the US trade system to protect American workers and families and gave a general warning about tariffs.

Later, in between signing executive orders in the White House, Trump did not respond to a media question about when he plans to impose tariffs on Chinese products – potentially between 10 and 60 per cent.

According to the BBC, Trump said that he had a “very good phone call” with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

China only got one mention in Trump’s speech – and that was to suggest that Chinese operations in the Panama Canal constituted a degree of ownership of the Central American waterway.

However, experts said that Trump’s commitments to sending astronauts to Mars and to build the world’s most formidable military are likely to perpetuate the ongoing rivalry with China.

“We will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the stars and stripes on the planet Mars,” Trump said.

“Like in 2017, we will again build the strongest military the world has ever seen. We will measure our success not only by the battles we win, but also by the wars that we end, and perhaps most importantly, the wars we never get into.”

Dali Yang, a political-scientist at the University of Chicago, said that the competition in space exploration between the two powers was not necessarily confrontational and also provided an opportunity for China to learn from the US.

With both countries aiming to reach Mars, there is competition, but it is “not necessarily intense or confrontational in nature and it is not the kind of negative competition that we might typically imagine”, Yang said.

He pointed out that tech mogul Elon Musk believes that space exploration is crucial for the advancement of human civilisation, regardless of which country accomplishes it.

Yang added that competition is a process of mutual learning and said that private Chinese companies were also learning from Elon Musk and catching up, such as by developing reusable rockets.

China’s space programme has been steadily expanding in line with the country’s ambition to position itself as a front runner in space exploration and technology.

In October, the nation introduced a comprehensive mid and long-term development plan for space science, outlining its strategic missions and research initiatives in space from 2024 to 2050.

Separately, the modernisation of the People’s Liberation Army is part of a strategic initiative to transform China’s military into a world-class force. Progress has included enhanced joint operational capabilities, boosted combat readiness, and the integration of advanced technology within its armed forces.

James Yifan Chen, a professor of diplomacy and international relations at Tamkang University in New Taipei, said that Trump’s emphasis on domestic issues showed that he intends to capitalise on Republican majorities in Congress with substantial legislative reform.

“This approach will help mitigate potential setbacks in the forthcoming midterm elections after two years, a period historically challenging for the governing party,” he said.

According to Chen, one reason for the low number of references to China in Trump’s speech may have been the presence of Chinese Vice-President Han Zhen at the inauguration ceremony.

“China has given Trump considerable respect by sending Han to attend the inauguration, which is an unprecedented move ... This significant gesture likely contributed to Trump not focusing heavily on anti-China rhetoric in his inaugural speech,” he said.

According to Chen, if there are no disruptions to bilateral ties within the next 100 days, the prevailing climate of relations between the two countries would accommodate a visit to China by Trump.

“China would also welcome a visit by the US president at this highest level of diplomatic engagement, as it would likely have a positive impact on US-China relations,” he added.

While Trump may adopt a “diplomacy before force” approach, it is possible that tariffs could be imposed again after any visit, Chen noted. “Competition in traditional spheres of hard power between China and the US is both inevitable and ongoing.”

Chen also said that rivalry in space exploration was not inherently adversarial, because of its potential benefits for humanity. In his view, Trump’s references to Mars in his speech were largely aimed at fulfilling Musk’s ambitious visions.

Last year’s unveiling of several advanced Chinese weapons systems, including the stealth J-31 fighter jet and the Sichuan aircraft carrier, had kept US defence and military intelligence sectors on alert, he added.

“This merely reflects the usual dynamics of competition on the military aspect, where it’s essential for both countries to advance their own military capacities.”

China’s domestic media was tepid in its initial reaction to Trump’s speech, while the Beijing leadership remained focused on domestic priorities.

Chinese President Xi Jinping extended festive greetings for the coming Lunar New Year to non-members of the party on Monday afternoon, pledging more “proactive and effective macroeconomic policies”.

He also called for the pursuit of a high level of self-reliance in science and technology and to maintain a sound momentum in socioeconomic development.

In the consultation of a draft government work report on Monday, Premier Li Qiang acknowledged that China still faces many “difficulties and challenges in its development”, particularly with increasing uncertainty and instability in the external environment.

Nevertheless, “China has comprehensive strengths in such areas as institutions, the market, industry and talent, and that its overall trend of long-term economic improvement remains unchanged and will not change,” Li said.

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