BBCIn China, people are watching the US election with deep interest and some anxiety. They fear that whoever wins the White House could have an impact on several aspects of life – at home and abroad.
“None of us want to see a war,” Mr. Xiang said, as the music in the park reached a crescendo and a nearby dancer elegantly twirled his partner.
He went to Ritan Park to take dance lessons with other seniors.
They gather here regularly, just a few hundred meters from the Beijing home of the US ambassador to China.
In addition to new dance moves, the upcoming US election also appears on their minds.
It comes at a pivotal moment between the two superpowers, as tensions over Taiwan, trade and international affairs are running high.
“I’m worried that Sino-US relations are becoming tense,” said Mr. Xiang, who is in his sixties. Peace is what we want, he added.
A crowd had gathered to hear this conversation. Most are reluctant to give their full names in a country where talking about the US president is allowed, but criticizing their own leader could get them into trouble.
They say they are worried about war — not just about the conflict between Washington and Beijing but also about the escalation of current wars in the Middle East and Ukraine.
That is why Mr. Manh, at age 70, hopes Donald Trump will win the election.
“Even though he imposed economic sanctions on China, he did not want to start or wage a war. Mr. Biden causes more wars, so more and more ordinary people dislike him. It was Mr. Biden who supported Ukraine’s war and both Russia and Ukraine suffered great losses from this war,” he said.
Some women recorded the dance to post on their social media pages. “Donald Trump said during the debate that he would end the war in Ukraine 24 hours after taking office,” one person said.
“As for Harris, I know very little about her, we think she’s on the same path as President Biden, who is pro-war.”
Their comments reflect an important message being spread in Chinese state media.
China has called on the international community to negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza while aligning itself with what it describes as its “Arab brothers” in the Middle East and has been quick to blame the US for Unwavering support for Israel.
Regarding Ukraine, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told the United Nations that China was playing a “constructive role” as he accused Washington of “taking advantage of the situation for selfish gain.”
While most analysts believe that Beijing has no advantage in this race for the White House, many would agree that Kamala Harris is an unknown to the Chinese people and the country’s leaders.
But some believe she will be more stable than Trump when it comes to one of the biggest flashpoints between the US and China – Taiwan.
“I don’t like Trump. I don’t think there is a good future between the US and China – there are too many problems, the global economy and also the Taiwan issue,” said a father of a four-year-old boy in a family park. . day out.
He fears their differences over Taiwan could eventually lead to conflict.
“I don’t want it. I don’t want my son to be a soldier,” he said as the boy begged to get back on the slide.
China claims the self-ruled island of Taiwan as its own and President Xi Jinping has said “unification is inevitable,” vowing to retake the island by force if necessary.
The United States maintains a formal relationship with Beijing and recognizes it as the only Chinese government implementing the “One China policy” but remains Taiwan’s most important international supporter.
Washington is bound by law to provide Taiwan with defensive weapons and Joe Biden has said the US will defend Taiwan militarily, breaking a position known as strategic ambiguity.
Harris didn’t go that far. Instead, when asked in a recent interview, she declared her “commitment to ensuring the security and prosperity of all countries.”
Instead, Donald Trump is focused on a deal – not diplomacy. He has called on Taiwan to pay for protection.
“Taiwan took away our chip business. I mean, how stupid are we? They are extremely wealthy,” he said in a recent interview. “Taiwan should pay for our defense”
One of their biggest worries when it comes to the former US president is that he has also made it clear that he plans to impose 60% tariffs on Chinese goods.
This is the last thing many businesses in China want right now as the country is trying to produce enough goods to export itself out of the economic recession.
Ministers in China expressed disdain for US-led trade tariffs, first imposed by Donald Trump.
President Biden has also imposed tariffs, targeting Chinese electronic vehicles and solar panels. Beijing believes these moves are an attempt to curb its rise as a global economic power.
Getty Images“I don’t think imposing tariffs on China will benefit the United States at all,” Mr. Xiang said, echoing the sentiments of many people we met. He added that tariffs would hurt the American people and increase costs for ordinary people.
Many in the younger generation, while patriotic, also look to the United States for trends and culture — and that, perhaps more than any diplomatic mission, is also powerful.
In the park, Lily and Anna, 20 and 22, get news from TikTok, echoing some of the national messages of pride spread by Chinese state media when it comes to this competitive relationship. .
“Ours is a very prosperous and powerful country,” they said while wearing national costumes. They say they love China, although they also admire the Avengers and especially Captain America.
Taylor Swift is also on their playlist.
Others like Lucy, 17, hope to one day study abroad in the US.
As she rides her newly installed exercise bike in the park, she dreams of one day visiting Universal Studios – after graduation.
Lucy said she was happy to see there was a female candidate. “Harris’s candidacy marks an important step forward for gender equality and it is encouraging to see her as a presidential candidate.”
The People’s Republic of China has never had a female leader and not a single woman currently sits on the 24-member cadre known as the Politburo, the most senior members of the Chinese Communist Party.
Lucy is also worried about the fierce competition between the two countries and believes that the best way for China and the United States to improve their relationship is to have more people-to-people exchanges.
Both sides have pledged to work toward this goal, but the number of American students studying in China has dropped from about 15,000 in 2011 to 800.
Mr. Xi hopes to open the door for 50,000 American students to come to China in the next five years. But in a recent interview with the BBC, the US ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns, accused some parts of the Chinese government of not taking this commitment seriously.
He said that in dozens of cases security forces or a government ministry prevented Chinese citizens from participating in US-run public diplomacy.
On the other hand, Chinese students and scholars say they are unfairly targeted by US border officials.
However, Lucy remains optimistic that one day she will be able to go to America to promote Chinese culture. And as music played nearby, she urged Americans to visit and experience China.
“Sometimes we can be a little reserved and not as open or outgoing as Americans, but we are always welcoming,” she said as she prepared to join her family.
BBC photo by Xiqing Wang
Between now and the US election on November 5, BBC correspondents in other parts of the world will explore the impact its outcome could have on where they are and on people across the globe What do you think about this race for the White House?
