When President Joe Biden announced he would not seek re-election, American politics suffered a seismic shock. The Democratic Party’s substitution of Vice President Kamala Harris to face former president Donald Trump upended the apple cart. While Biden had been slipping, Harris’s momentum has made the outcome too close to call.

The upcoming presidential election in the United States could significantly impact China-U.S. relations, though it’s uncertain how each candidate will ultimately approach Beijing. Neither major candidate is perceived as being willing to improve the bilateral relationship at this point, so things could very well get worse.

J.D. Vance’s stance on the American struggle in order to achieve the American dream holds parallels to his China policy, and Washington’s China policy more broadly. Americans’ views on China are similarly paradoxical, as they see China as an adversary but do not prioritize it as one.

If Harris, the current vice president of the United States, is elected president in November, her administration will likely not make radical changes to America’s existing China policies, although some nuanced adjustments could occur in areas such as combating anti-Asian racism and fostering economic stability. Those hoping for improvements should remain realistic about the slim odds of that happening.

The critique of Tim Walz’s China experience reflects an effort by some to raise concerns about his background and character, yet much of the narrative appears to exaggerate a fairly ordinary and educational journey abroad. Even more, it’s important to recognize that Walz's experiences provide him with a nuanced perspective, reflecting hard-won observation and original thought born of humility, respect, and a willingness to listen.

China-U.S. ties will suffer historic harm if Donald Trump’s party wins the White House and a majority of both houses of Congress. Conservative voices have already made their anti-China agenda abundantly clear.

As the 2024 U.S. presidential election takes an unexpected turn with Kamala Harris stepping in as the Democratic candidate and Donald Trump showing strong poll numbers, there have been a variety of speculations surrounding future U.S. policies toward China. As in past presidential campaigns, adopting a "tough on China" stance tends to be a winning strategy with voters, so we can likely expect increased critiques in the coming months. But no matter which candidate wins in November, China policies are not likely to change very much from the past two administrations.

The 2024 Republican Party Platform in the United States reveals much about the direction Donald Trump’s foreign policy would take if he were re-elected. His words and past behavior, paint a sobering picture that is tinged by right-wing ideology.

This year’s NATO summit spotlighted two pivotal issues: the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the future of the Indo-Pacific region. But the approach was low-key. The primary concern seemed to be the stabilization of aid to Ukraine to shield it from a possible disruptive victory by Donald Trump, who could return to the White House.

Can an assassination attempt improve a candidate’s chances of winning an election? Taiwan’s experience suggests that it might. During its 2004 presidential election, polls showed then-President Chen Shui-bian trailing his opponent, Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) candidate Lien Chan. But this changed abruptly the day before the vote, when Chen and Vice President Annette Lu were shot during an election rally.