By Eric Vandenbroeck and co-workers

China’s ambassador to the US has been rushing to connect with potential Trump administration officials after several years of struggling to get meetings with Republicans in Washington.

Xie Feng has in recent months stepped up outreach in Washington by hosting dozens of former US officials and China experts at his home, according to people familiar with the situation.

The engagements have become more important following Donald Trump’s election victory because the Chinese embassy has had far more interaction with Democrats during Joe Biden’s presidency.

China's ambassador to the United States Xie Feng speaks to the media:

All ambassadors in Washington are trying to meet people who may join the new Trump administration. But Beijing faces a particular disadvantage because Republicans have been unwilling to engage Chinese officials in recent years as Washington has become far more hawkish on China.

Earlier this year, Beijing tasked Cui Tiankai, its ambassador during Trump’s first administration, to reconnect with his former contacts in the former president’s team, but he was largely unsuccessful.

In a bad omen for Beijing, Trump has nominated China hawks for top roles in his new administration, including Mike Waltz for national security adviser and Marco Rubio for secretary of state.

Chinese officials are watching closely to see who Trump will name as Treasury secretary — and whether Robert Lighthizer, his former trade representative, will join the new administration. They are also paying attention to the role of Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, who has business interests in China and has joined Trump’s inner circle.

Chinese officials seem laser-focused on economic policy. “Their top three priorities are tariffs, tariffs, and tariffs,” said Johnson, who heads the consultancy China Strategies Group.

There is a debate in Beijing between less economically literate members of the politburo and technocrats over Trump’s threat to slap 60 percent tariffs on imports from China.

One person in Beijing with connections to the Chinese Communist Party said.

Chinese intelligence is almost certainly tracking the comings and goings at Mar-a-Lago.

Xie Feng is an experienced diplomat who knows that being a Chinese ambassador is a lonely job in Washington, particularly in this environment,” said Myron Brilliant, a senior counselor with DGA-Albright Stonebridge Group, a consultancy, who has known Xie for years. He added that it would be an “uphill battle” for the ambassador given the hawkish mood in Washington.

But he noted: “It’s important to note that Trump has an existing relationship with Xi [Jinping] and likely will emphasise his own rapport and channel with the Chinese president.”

 

 

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