Analysts say that as US President Donald Trump announces plans to withdraw from various international organizations and agreements, China is positioning itself as a world leader and seizing the opportunity to fill the void left by the United States in the international arena.
On his first day in office after Monday's inauguration, Trump signed executive orders that began the process of withdrawing from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change, just as he did during his first term.
The Republican president's moves cast doubt on the future of global public health efforts and climate goals, and leave a leadership vacuum that China could try to fill.
“This creates the potential for China to further strengthen its influence in the world's multilateral institutions and help govern the world,” said Gregory Chin, an associate professor of political economy at York University in Toronto.
Indeed, China already appears to be sending such signals.
China's message
In what could be considered a strategically planned meeting, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke via video just hours after Trump's inauguration, highlighting the ongoing alliance between them.
“I am willing to work with you to continue to take China-Russia relations to a new level in 2025 to address external uncertainties,” Xi reportedly told Putin.
The Chinese leader said he wanted to “uphold international justice.”
At the same time, Chinese officials repeated that message on Tuesday at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, touting the country's commitment to fighting climate change.
“China has always been a staunch supporter of true multilateralism,” said Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, adding that the country “steadfastly upholds the international system… and resolutely maintains the international order based on international law.”
On “peace and security,” Ding said that “China has the best record among the world's major powers.”
Also at a press conference in Beijing on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun reiterated China's concern over the United States' withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.
“Climate change is a common challenge facing all humanity,” he said. “China's determination and actions to actively respond to climate change are consistent.”
During Tump's first term, the United States also withdrew from many international agreements, including Paris Agreement on climate change, Trans-Pacific Partnership and United Nations Human Rights Council.
It looks like he's following the same path.
When Trump won the presidential election over Kamala Harris in November, Democratic vice president Jia Wang, a senior fellow and senior adviser at the China Institute at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, told CBC News that China could take advantage of it to the situation.
“China could use this opportunity to make more friends or at least reduce the number of rivals and enemies,” she said.
Development cost
As the United States turns inward and the new president hails the beginning of “America's golden age” and the end of its “decline,” China is growing stronger.
“Inadvertently, the Trump administration may be weakening America's position in the world vis-à-vis China,” said Chin of York University.
At least in terms of climate China is positioning itself as an ecological leader for years, taking initiatives to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality by 2060 – including investing in renewable energy and leading the world in electric vehicles and batteries. This is despite the fact that you still are the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gasesresponsible for one third of global emissions.
But the placement, however strategic, is born out of necessity, said Yongjing Zhang, a professor of economics and politics at the University of Ottawa.
“China is really concerned about climate change,” Zhang said, adding that the country is now bearing the “costs” of its rapid development. “No matter what happens to other countries, China (will take care of it).”
Simply put, there is no choice.
Global health security
On Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo also expressed strong support for the World Health Organization following Trump's announcement, saying China “will, as always, support the WHO in fulfilling its responsibilities, deepening international cooperation in public health.”
Trump accused this institution, a United Nations agency, of bias against China and criticized its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic – just as he did during his first term in power, when he also decided to extract American Joe BIden, who replaced Trump as president after his first term, but later changed his decision.
However, China's future role in health is more unclear, despite the message this information conveys. The US is definitely there the agency's largest financial sponsor, representing approximately 18 percent of its total funding. The WHO's last budget for 2024–25 was $6.8 billion.
It is currently unclear how this funding gap will be filled, as experts warn the move could undermine global public health security and weaken the world's defenses against future pandemics and infectious diseases.
Being allies 'means nothing now'
What is emerging from the start of Trump's presidency suggests that U.S. allies are increasingly concerned about what a more confident Trump will do in his second term, given his unpredictability.
“You have to throw the terms of friendship and allies out the window,” said Lynette Ong, a distinguished professor of Chinese politics at the University of Toronto. – It doesn't mean anything now.
Ong said that while China could very well take care of its position, she would like to see more evidence that the country is putting its words into action.
Chin, of York University, said, however, that U.S. isolationism will ultimately mean that other countries will face decisions in the alliance system.
“It's a choice between accommodating America's progress or choosing a multipolar set of options,” he said.
These options, Chin said, could include BRICS countriesof which China and Russia are part.
US President Donald Trump will not impose promised tariffs on Canada, Mexico or China on his first day in office, according to numerous US reports, giving the country something of a respite, at least for now.
“If you are in the West, you might see this as a threat to the so-called rules-based international order,” he said. “But if you're in the rest of the world, you might say that some of these changes may actually be improvements.”
As Trump threatens higher tariffs for countries like China, Canada and Mexico, China reduced tariffs on hundreds of goods comes to the country this month. Chin suggests that whatever the motivation, this may be just one reason why other nations may be strengthening ties with the country while the United States distances itself.