Dear Focus Reader,

In a significant turn of events, President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race this week, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee. This decision marks Biden as the first elected U.S. president since Lyndon Johnson to opt out of a second term. While Biden focuses on his remaining duties, Harris has quickly become the new presumptive Democratic nominee, and faces the challenge of winning the presidency against former President Donald Trump.

China's response to Biden's announcement thus far has been cautious, with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning refraining from commenting, labeling it a domestic affair. Chinese state media and social media have both been abuzz with reactions, speculating on the potential implications for U.S.-China relations.

While it is still early in her campaign, it's anticipated that a potential Harris administration would likely maintain many of President Biden's foreign policy objectives, offering strong support for Ukraine's war effort and continuing initiatives to deepen alliances in Asia and the Pacific in response to China's geopolitical ascendance, particularly given her alignment with Biden's stance on trade and national security. However, some analysts suggest she may adopt even stricter measures on China to assert leadership and counter critics on the other side of the aisle.

Meanwhile, China concluded its Third Plenum this week, which highlighted significant economic and climate announcements. At the closing of the Plenum, Chinese officials acknowledged that the country's economic recovery is "not strong enough" and called for more "proactive" measures to achieve its 5% GDP growth target.

Beijing plans to adopt strategies focused on breaking institutional barriers rather than relying on Western-style expansionary policies, establishing a "unified national market" to stimulate consumption, as well as relaxing the hukou system to facilitate employment and boost demand through greater labor mobility.

Learn more about China-U.S. relations by catching up on our latest Focus content, including topics on the Third Plenum, global policy, and U.S.-China cultural relations.