Dear Focus Reader,

This week, Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States, marking the beginning of a new era for U.S.-China relations. Notably, Chinese Vice President Han Zheng attended the inauguration as President Xi Jinping's representative, suggesting China's continued interest in engaging with the new U.S. administration.

In Washington ahead of the event, Han held separate meetings with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, where both sides reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining a "long and fruitful" relationship. These discussions came shortly after a phone call between Presidents Trump and Xi on Friday, where they touched on a wide range of issues, including trade, fentanyl, and the future of TikTok.

Following the inauguration, President Trump moved quickly to implement his policy agenda. While he did not initiate any immediate new tariffs, he did issue a series of executive orders aimed at shaping both domestic and international affairs. One of the first orders directs a review of trade agreements with China, focusing on concerns about the imbalance in trade practices and intellectual property protections. This action continues Trump's "America First" approach, which seeks to renegotiate trade deals to prioritize U.S. interests.

On the TikTok front, Trump's administration issued an executive order delaying the platform's ban for 75 days. This gives the government time to evaluate national security risks related to the Chinese-owned app, which has raised concerns over user data security.

Additionally, President Trump signed executive orders withdrawing the U.S. from global commitments and organizations, including the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Agreement. The decisions drew criticism worldwide, however, they aligned with Trump's concerns about how these efforts have benefited China at the expense of the U.S. You can find a full list of his executive orders here.

Stay tuned for the latest updates on China-U.S. relations by catching up on our latest Focus content, including topics on the future of the bilateral relationship, how both countries can succeed together, and more.