China Center Quick Note: The US election-an unexpected de-stabilizer

Most business and economics analysts in the US and abroad are desperately hoping that president-elect Donald Trump moderates his positions on international affairs before he assumes office. While it is true that the Trump campaign is already signaling a dizzying reversal on a handful of his most notorious campaign promises, the international affairs and geo-economics arena remains largely a black box in terms of Trump’s intentions. China, in particular, was Trump’s public-enemy #1 for much of the past 18 months, and MNC executives have expressed a great deal of concern that the US-China bilateral relationship may be entering an era of dramatically increased tensions and volatility.

We have tabulated a “what to watch for” list to clarify the issues and policies that are at stake and to highlight key guideposts for the future.