An Analysis Of The Trump Administration's Strategic "decoupling" Of China

Economic and trade cooperation has long been the "capstone" of China-US relations.Since Donald Trump took office,he has taken a series of "decoupling" measures,which have shaken this foundation.The "decoupling" strategy of the US in the Trump administration focuses on trade,high-technology and industrial chain respectively.This paper sorts out the performance of "decoupling" with China in these three areas.Different measures have different political and economic intentions,but the common goal of these measures are to crack down China's strategic technology industry and to contain China's development.This paper discusses the reasons for the formation of the "decoupling" strategy from the international,domestic and individual perspectives,which constitute the background and direct influencing factors for the "decoupling" strategy.Against the backdrop of major adjustments in the US strategy towards China,the US has become more assertive in its policy towards China,not only on economic and trade issues,but also on traditional issues such as the South China Sea issue,Taiwan issue and the RMB exchange rate issue.On the other hand,Trump often "links" these issues to economic and trade issues as "bargaining chips" to push China to compromise in negotiations.The strategy not only causes losses to China,but also increases the downside risks to the US and the global economy,which also has a profound impact on the global innovation chain,value chain and supply chain.However,promoting the "decoupling" with China in trade and industrial chain is not in the overall long-term interests of the United States.To a large extent,it is the "extreme pressure" method adopted by Trump to get concessions from China in China-US negotiations,and it also honors Trump's political promise to his voters."Decoupling" in these two areas is strongly Trumpian,drawing opposition from Democrats,the establishment and numerous interest groups at home.However,"decoupling" in the field of science and technology has strategic significance for the United States,and has formed a certain consensus in the United States.In the case of intensified strategic suspicion and strategic competition between the US and China,regardless of whether Trump is re-elected,the "decoupling" in high-tech between the US and China will have some political continuity in the longer term.