China

 Jim Smith, Talking Turkey -  In January, a university think tank in Beijing published a report with a title that should make Americans sit up straight: “Thank Trump.” According to The Economist, the scholars offered sarcastic but sincere gratitude for what they called Trump’s contributions to China’s rise: “driving away America’s traditional allies,” proving that China is “more trustworthy and stable,” and even pushing Chinese innovation through his tariff wars.

Chinese commentators now routinely describe Trump as an “accelerator of American political decay,” a phrase reported by the New York Times. In their telling, Trump hasn’t just weakened America — he has strengthened China....

How Chinese analysts are framing Trump’s second term:

“Accelerating American political decay.”

Chinese commentators quoted in The New York Times argue that Trump’s rhetoric and institutional attacks validate their long-held belief that the U.S. is in decline.

Driving allies away.

The report claims his confrontations with NATO partners and other allies “weaken America’s global coalition” and leave China looking more stable by comparison.

Supercharging Chinese innovation.

Tariffs and tech restrictions are framed not as setbacks but as pressure that “forces China to innovate faster,” according to summaries of the report.

Strengthening China’s global image.

Chinese state-linked analysts argue that Trump’s unpredictability makes China appear “more trustworthy and stable,” a contrast they are eager to highlight.

Reinforcing China’s narrative of inevitability.

The NYT notes that Chinese media now pair Trump-era U.S. dysfunction with imagery of China’s technological prowess — drones, EVs, robotics — to underscore a message: China is rising; America is faltering.

Russia famously supported Trump’s 2016 and subsequent campaigns, knowing that Trump’s rise would contribute to America’s downfall. Will we see China contributing to MAGA campaigns for the same reason — to “polish us off”?