On election morning, I went to the YMCA. In the pool, I typically see more women than men, but that day, it was all women—I figured the men might be out voting. Later, as I passed by the NY homeless shelter, I noticed, as usual, only men outside and no women. It made me wonder why. Driving home, I reminded myself to look up data to see if these patterns I observed at the pool and shelter were supported by any trends.
Reading journalism books, I learned the value of a first-person eyewitness account. But I’m beginning to question the limits of this approach. Without relevant data, historical context, and multiple perspectives, a first-person narrative alone feels inadequate for truly understanding what one observes.
Now, days after the election, we know who will be the next occupant of the White House. America's policy toward China is likely to remain one of its most strategically significant areas of foreign policy, with far-reaching implications for global security and trade.
This story began during Trump’s first term, when he labeled China a "strategic competitor" and imposed tariffs on Chinese imports, sparking retaliatory tariffs from Beijing on U.S. goods. Also always remember China Initiative and Chinese Virus. Biden retained many of these Trump-era tariffs, which some believe has contributed to inflation in the U.S. and potentially impacted his VP in her White House bid.
There is a bipartisan consensus on getting tough with China, largely to appeal to American voters. Politicians find it easy to frame the loss of American jobs as a result of competition with China. However, many of these job losses in traditional industries, like steel, can be attributed more to automation and technology advances than to global competition alone. Unfortunately the average Americans do not dwell deep on this.
With Trump returning to the White House, we could see a significant shift in approach. While Biden has focused on building security alliances with other regional powers to contain China, Trump may favor direct, unilateral actions that could intensify the rivalry between the two nations. Keep in mind Trump’s unpredictability and anything is possible. A Chinese scientist could lose his job instantly under a new wave of Red Scare.
A Chinese saying goes, 山雨欲来风满楼 (shān yǔ yù lái fēng mǎn lóu), meaning "As the mountain rain looms near, the winds sweep through every corner of the building." The saying implies a brewing storm—a situation filled with mounting tension and anticipation of dramatic events. It reflects the sense of unease and the inevitability of coming shifts in U.S.-China relations with a new administration.