Wait-and-see approach urged on ties after Trump's Twitter remarks

Facing an incoming United States president whose outspoken tweets have lashed out at China now and then, observers in Beijing are mostly adopting a wait-and-see attitude, with some cautioning that the Trump administration could have a "severe impact" on Sino-US economic ties.

Two days after his unprecedented phone conversation with Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen stirred up widespread concerns about Beijing-Washington relations, US president-elect Donald Trump drew fresh attention from Chinese with his latest tweets.

Trump wrote on Twitter, according to wire reports, "Did China ask us if it was OK to devalue their currency (making it hard for our companies to compete), heavily tax our products going into their country (the US doesn't tax them) or to build a massive military complex in the middle of the South China Sea? I don't think so!"

Asked if there is any change of impression regarding Trump following the phone call and his latest tweets, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said: "We do not comment on his personality. We focus on his policies, especially his policies toward China."

On Sunday, vice-president-elect Mike Pence downplayed the conversation with Tsai, saying it was a "courtesy" call and not intended to show a shift in US policy on China, according to foreign media reports.

Ruan Zongze, vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies, said there is no need to overinterpret Trump's tweets. "We should still wait and see whether they will turn into policies after Jan 20, when he is sworn in."

Shi Yinhong, a professor of international relations at Renmin University of China, said: "We hope China-US relations will remain stable during Trump's term. However, we should be mentally prepared for one thing, that is the huge impact on bilateral trade and economic ties possibly brought by Trump's administration."

Li Haidong, a professor of US studies at China Foreign Affairs University, said, "If (Trump) could choose a secretary of state well-versed in diplomacy and bilateral ties between China and the US, it is unlikely he will continue such rhetoric."

Chinese exports to the US are taxed at standard US rates, while Washington has slapped punitive tariffs on Chinese steel and solar panels, the Associated Press reported.

Contact the writers at mojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn