Dear Focus reader,

After months of global anticipation, the 2024 U.S. elections finally took place, with Donald Trump victorious and set to return to the White House in January, alongside Republican control of the Senate, and potentially the House of Representatives. Trump's victory sent shockwaves through political circles both domestically and internationally, prompting reactions from leaders around the world as they adjust to the shifting dynamics of U.S. governance.

Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to Trump, emphasizing that China and the U.S. would "benefit from cooperation and lose from confrontation." The message came within a day, in contrast to 2020, which saw Xi's note to President Joe Biden come two weeks after the election results. "A stable, healthy and sustainable China-US relationship is in the common interests of the two countries and the expectations of the international community," he said. Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning, meanwhile, called the election an "internal affair" for the U.S. and that China "respects the choice of the American people."

With heightened tensions between the two countries amid multiple global crises, speculation is mounting regarding how the incoming Trump administration will engage with Beijing, particularly following the last Trump presidency which was marked by a trade war. On the campaign trail, Trump promised to impose 60 percent tariffs on Chinese imports if granted another term. The new administration will also potentially shake-up the U.S.'s approach to other major issues, such as the South China Sea, Taiwan, and collaboration on climate change and public health.

In the midst of this uncertainty, the China-United States Exchange Foundation (CUSEF), in partnership with the China Center for International Economic Exchanges (CCIEE), will welcome distinguished global leaders to Hong Kong from November 15-16 for the annual "U.S.-China Hong Kong Forum". This year's event, titled Reflection and Forecast, brings together key figures from government, business, and civil society— including China's Ambassador Xie Feng, U.S. Ambassador Nicholas Burns, Chief Adviser to the Interim Government of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, and the 12th U.S. Trade Representative, Charlene Barshefsky— to discuss the future of U.S.-China relations and solutions to today's most pressing challenges. Stay tuned to China-US Focus for more exclusive content from the Forum, and visit hkforum.com to see additional information.

Finally, learn more about U.S.-China relations by catching up on our latest Focus content, including topics on U.S.-China relations under Trump, BRICS and its global influence, the impact of U.S. election results, and more.