U.S. President Donald Trump came to office vowing to end what he saw as China's free ride on trade and security issues that has allowed it to flex its muscles more strongly than ever. But as he prepares to host Chinese President Xi Jinping at Mar-a-Lago, Florida, there is little sign that Trump's China approach thus far is different to that of his predecessor, Barack Obama, on whose watch Beijing initiated coercive actions with impunity in the South and East China seas.
Besieged by allegations of collusion between his campaign associates and Russia, Trump — to Beijing's relief — has found little space to revamp his predecessor's policy and take on China.
In contrast to his tough talk during his presidential campaign, when he famously said he would not "allow China to rape our country, and that's what they're doing," Trump is seeking a cooperative relationship with China but grounded in flinty reciprocity. He has abandoned campaign promises to impose a punitive 45 percent tariff on Chinese goods and brand China a currency manipulator.