Before Trump, predicting America's China policy was straightforward. Republicans would favor free trade but support a hard-line military posture toward China, which they see as a security threat. Democrats would call for protectionism and a tougher human rights policy, but display little enthusiasm for treating China as a geopolitical adversary. Neither party espoused the policy preferred by Beijing.
In an ideal world for Beijing, Washington's China policy would focus on bilateral commercial ties and avoid issues such as human rights and security in East Asia. In the real world, however, China's leaders have to live with the China policy made in Washington. The policy mixture has not been to its liking, but Chinese leaders have learned to deal with their American counterparts, Republicans and Democrats.
