China Center Reference Paper: The New China Ideology -- Trump's Team

Donald Trump’s well-known views on China predate his status as president, president-elect, or even presidential candidate. In his 2011 book, Time to Get Tough, Trump wrote “China is our enemy,” adding, “they're bilking us for billions.” Despite this rhetoric, however, future US policy on China remains an evolving picture. One useful way to anticipate possible policy outcomes is to examine the people the president has surround himself with in Washington.

In this paper we identify key positions within the US government and White House that have historically been important in determining US-China economic relations and policy, and we explore the newly created roles for certain additional favored advisors. Furthermore, where possible, we examine the backgrounds and “China ideologies” of the individuals that the new president has appointed to these key positions.