Donald Trump’s sweeping cuts to the US federal government may hamper China’s efforts to establish regular communication channels with the new administration, according to diplomatic observers.
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The CIA has offered its employees the opportunity to resign in return for about eight months’ wages and benefits, with similar offers being made to staff at four other intelligence agencies.
Critics of the cuts – which aim to slash federal budgets by 5-10 per cent – have warned of serious disruption to US government activities, while some observers in China said they would add a further layer of uncertainty to relations between the two countries.
However, others said the impact would not alter the White House’s focus on China as the main rival to the United States and predicted it would not lead to fundamental policy shifts.
“China, of course, [is] at a loss to find minimal communication channels, though any channel could not make him nicer to Beijing, especially when so many US allies and partners [are] inclined to give way to him,” said Shi Yinhong, a professor of international relations at Renmin University in Beijing.
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Trump’s efforts to consolidate his personal power by tearing down government agencies have limited Beijing’s options, so it should focus on domestic matters to build up an “appearance of strength and willpower vis-a-vis this ruffian”, Shi added.