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Beijing wants to "make a deal" with the newly elected US president, Republican Donald Trump, but does not expect it to be easy.
This was stated by Wu Xinbo, adviser to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, Bloomberg reports.
"For the Chinese side, the deal is welcome," said Wu Xinbo, director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai, who led a group of Chinese Foreign Ministry experts who met with U.S. policymakers and business leaders earlier this year. "We don't want a trade war."
"We all understand Trump's style - he will try to use his leverage to continue to pressure China," Wu told Bloomberg in an interview on the sidelines of the Caixin Summit in Beijing. "It's going to take time, and it's going to take a fight between the two sides."
During his campaign, Trump threatened to impose 60% tariffs on Chinese goods, a level that Bloomberg Economics estimated would destroy trade between the world's largest economies.
Wu said tariffs are China's number one concern, including those still in place from the first Trump administration. He said a face-to-face meeting between the two leaders should be arranged as soon as possible, preferably before Trump's inauguration on January 20, 2025.
"We need to understand what's on his mind," Wu said, adding that the two sides should start addressing each other's concerns.
Wu did not specify where such a meeting might take place, but said that if there is a desire from both sides to meet, then such issues would be only "tactical."
Since Chinese officials rarely deviate from the official script, the comments from Wu - an influential voice in relations between the world's largest economies - give an insight into how Beijing views Trump's return. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters on Wednesday that China's policy toward the United States is consistent and will continue to be carried out "on the principles of mutual respect" and cooperation.
One potential positive for China is Trump's growing fondness for Elon Musk, chief executive of Tesla Inc. The billionaire has extensive business interests in China and donated $130 million to Trump's campaign.
But Wu said Musk and other high-profile businessmen have their limits when it comes to the president-elect.
"Trump is Trump," Wu said. "He has to balance the different voices on his team."
Trump's victory is more of a challenge than an opportunity, according to Wu. This is due not only to his style, but also to the fact that some of the names mentioned in his administration cannot be considered "rational hawks", which makes the negotiations more difficult this time.
If a trade war does break out, Beijing will have no choice but to respond and retaliate, Wu said.
"I hope that this time our approach will be more effective," he added.
