In his latest cabinet picks Donald Trump has built a team of China-focused experts‚ though the mix includes an unexpected pro-Beijing voice
Marco Rubio‚ picked for Secretary of State brings a complex history with Beijing: hes been sanctioned twice by China (around 4 years ago) and pushed hard for the anti-forced labor laws. His stance shows a clear shift from diplomatic talks to direct action — making him the first top diplomat who cant actually visit China
The National Security Advisor role goes to Mike Waltz‚ whose military background shapes his view on China-US relations: he sees the Indo-Pacific as Americas main focus. Last fall he made strong statements about Chinas military growth comparing it to pre-WW2 developments
- Tech competition focus
- Taiwan defense priority
- Human rights advocacy
- Push for domestic semiconductor production
Fox News host Pete Hegseth got the unexpected nod for Defense Secretary His media background shows clear anti-Beijing views: though he lacks government experience he often talks about Chinas military tech progress and its long-term plans
China is building an army specifically dedicated to defeating the United States of America
The most interesting pick is Elon Musk for Government Efficiency who brings a different view to the team. His Tesla factory in Shanghai (built about 5 years ago) makes him uniquely pro-China among Trumps picks; some even compare his potential role to Kissingers historic position
Lee Zeldin heads to EPA bringing his experience from running a China policy group since last fall. While his role wont directly affect China policy its worth noting his recent work at the America First Policy Institute
Still missing are key trade and commerce picks that will shape the new China approach However experts point out that despite the teams varied backgrounds Trump himself will make the final calls on Beijing policy