China and the United States could face a communication breakdown and risk “fierce confrontation” if Donald Trump ushers in a hawkish team of advisers to oversee the country’s China policy.
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According to analysts, China does not fear the possibility of an increasingly hardline policy from the new Trump administration and is awaiting the US president-elect’s first move.
The assessment came amid speculation over who would take the top jobs in Trump’s new cabinet following the Republican’s decisive victory in this week’s presidential election.
On Friday, Trump picked Susie Wiles, one of his two campaign managers, to be his White House chief of staff.
According to Reuters, Robert O’Brien, one of Trump’s national security advisers during his first term, is in the running to be the next secretary of state. Mike Pompeo, who was secretary of state and CIA director during Trump’s first presidency, is said to be a top contender for the defence secretary role.
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Other reports listed Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who has become one of Trump’s most vocal supporters, and Robert F. Kennedy Jnr, the nephew of former US president John F. Kennedy, as potential Trump cabinet members.
Some of the figures expected to fill top roles are known for their hawkish views on China. O’Brien and Pompeo, in particular, were sanctioned by Beijing in 2021 for what the Chinese government said was interference in the country’s internal affairs and disruption of US-China relations.