The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) broke its near week-long silence today and congratulated the President-Elect Joe Biden on his US election victory. One of the last countries to recognise his win, foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin commended the Democratic candidate and his running mate, Kamala Harris. At a press briefing conference, he said: “We respect the choice of the American people. We extend congratulations to Mr Biden and Ms Harris.
“We understand the results of the US election will be determined according to US laws and procedures.”
The comments contrast considerably to President Xi Jinping’s personal message of congratulations to President Donald Trump when he won the election in 2016.
Many have noted that China would have mixed feelings about the result, as the US will now look to reconcile with Western powers; although the Communist nation will be relieved that relations will become more stable.
In recent years, the CCP appears to have used the divide wedged between Western democracies, harnessing the discord to further its domestic politics of surveillance and international pursuits of economic growt, and only two years ago change its consitution to allow Xi to stay in power beyond the usual term limits, a suggestion that the party’s total dominance nears.
Xi Jinping: The Chinese president is looking to grab more power for himself (Image: GETTY)
China: The country was the first to enter and leave lockdown, allowing for economic growth (Image: GETTY)
And, as the CCP looks to make itself synonymous with the country of China, Yaqiu Wang, China researcher at the organisation Human Rights Watch (HRW), told Express.co.uk that President Xi is similarly looking to grab more and more power for himself in what appears to be an endeavour running parallel to the party.
As Ms Wang explained: “The end goal for the communist party has always been to control China as a country; they want to sustain power.
“For Xi Jinping, you can see that he has been grabbing more and more power to himself: in 2018 he eliminated the length which a president can sit, he revised the constitution and official documents and laws to make himself at the core of the party; things like this.
“For the party, it wants to stay in power in China, for Xi Jinping, he ultimately wants to have more power in the party – and that’s just one aspect of China.”
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Belt and Road: China is furthering its influence across the world through contraction initiatives (Image: GETTY)
Meanwhile, Xi earlier this week announced that under his watch, China will import more than (£17tn) worth of goods over the next decade.
He has also called for a more constructive approach to an open global economy, and hit out at “protectionism”.
China had the ability to open up sooner following its national coronavirus lockdown, and thus was the first economy to welcome trade and subsequently grow this year.
Yet the President’s calls may fall on deaf ears.
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Xi latest: China recently moved to abolish the term a president can sit (Image: GETTY)
Russia: Xi and Russia’s president are known to be close allies (Image: GETTY)
Sean King, senior vice-president of Park Strategies in New York and an affiliated scholar at University of Notre Dame’s Liu Institute, told Express.co.uk that democracies must refuse such trade with China as long as it continues to flout human rights issues and engage in political aggression.
He explained: “In terms of business, if you don’t play along and put up with Beijing then you will suffer the consequences.
“That’s why we should be looking for other opportunities and markets to get into so that we don’t have to sacrifice our own values to do business.
“We need to start trading more with friends and allies that share our values and don’t intimidate their neighbours.”
Hong Kong: The mainland suppressed the pro-democracy protests that raged for a year on the island (Image: Express Newspapers)
In the preceding decades, China has expanded its economy and output at astonishing speeds.
In 1995, the value of China’s imports and exports of goods totalled $280.9billion (£212.9bn) – three percent of global trade.
By 2018, its total trade in goods had leapt to $4.6trillion (£3.4tn) – 12.4 percent of global trade.
Many countries have made efforts to curb China’s influence.
Mike Pompeo: On Friday the US secretary of state repeated that Taiwan is not a part of China (Image: GETTY)
President Trump began a trade war with President Xi in 2018.
It continues to rage to this day.
Other standoffs have formed, the most recent example being Mr Trump’s banning the China-based social media platform TikTok.
As recently as Friday, China threatened action against the US after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reinforced the country’s view that Taiwan “has not been a part of China” – a point which the CCP sorely contends.