His words and actions on two occasions in the oval office sparked the most vigilant and strongest reactions while Donald Trump took a destructive ball into relations with America with countries around the world.
One is the extraordinary humiliation of Ukrainian President Voldy Mie Zelensky, and the second is the announcement that the US, along with Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu, will plan to “own” Gaza and build the “Riviera.”
The first incident on February 28th showed a pronounced break from the US policy against Ukraine, which European countries saw as fundamentally undermining the Transatlantic Alliance and democratic principles.
The second, on February 4th, corresponded to a virtual abandonment of the two state solution by the US, and was quickly rejected by the Arab world.
Russia expressed joy after Zelenkie was rebuked, but China, the Kremlin’s most important ally, did not announce an official response. Chinese people who have recently become increasingly diplomatically active in West Asia said they have refused to move Gaza people, but in their statements they did not name Trump or the United States.
What is China, the second most powerful country in the world thinking at this extraordinary moment? There are some insights available in the report and commentary of the Global Times and China Daily, two prominent English outlets of China’s state media, and the English version of People’s Daily, the Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece.
Trump Zelensky in Ukraine
Following the Oval Office Conference, Chinese media commentary focuses on the weakening of the US-led Western political order and the dangers of relying on the US to seek support.
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On March 1, People’s Daily published an opinion piece entitled “How to Don’t Do Diplomacy: Lessons from the White House Conflict,” highlighting the need for dialogue between international stakeholders.
“It would be wrong to assume that Ukrainian peace depends solely on a bilateral agreement between the US and Russian president,” he said, possibly suggesting that Beijing must have a role. “That agreement, even if it existed before the Trump Zelensky Conference in the White House, would have been separated from the broader geopolitical reality.”
This article highlighted the basic wisdom of negotiating closed rooms. “When negotiations become a sight, as in the case of a White House conflict, the risk of overtaking stance increases dramatically,” he said.
A day later, the editorial (“great television” highlights the ongoing change”) said the conference “remindes the changing dynamics of global diplomacy and the challenges facing countries navigating the increasingly unpredictable international landscape.”
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The planned deal with Ukrainian minerals, which “brought criticism of its seemingly exploitative nature,” he said, was “originally debated by Kiev, representing a painful but necessary compromise in the face of current reality.”
The explosion of the oval office appears to be a “carefully organized setup,” and “will grasp and reveal the real politics of the Trump administration,” the editor said. The European Union warned, “This episode should serve as a wake-up call. The era of relying on US security guarantees may be coming to an end,” in contrast to the American and Chinese approaches.
“As the United States retreates more and more from international responsibility under the Trump administration, the concept of a “US-led west” is retreating into history.” “China has consistently advocated dialogue and consensus building to achieve a peaceful resolution to Ukraine’s conflict. Beijing’s vision of a community that shares the future of humanity is rooted in the principles of multipolarity and mutual respect.”
The Global Times said in an article published on March 1 (“White House Cry of Zelensky’s “Rare, Dramatic” match in modern INTL-related history: Experts”) that “has demonstrated that ending the crisis could be more challenging than originally planned.”
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On March 2, Global Times said that Western countries are “unsettled not only for the future of battlefield and European security, but also because of the painful perception that the Trans-Atlantic Alliance risks changing from one of the shared values to trading relationships under our “America-first” approach.” (“European leaders rush to meet up following Trump Zelensky’s line”)
Trump’s plan to redevelop Gaza
Since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, and the Israeli forces attacks except for everything except Gaza, China has officially sought peace and spoke about a long-term solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. State media has released criticisms against the US and Israel, pointing to Chinese aid in Gaza.
China has trade and diplomatic relations with Israel, but on March 7, Foreign Minister Wang Yi stressed that “Gaza belongs to the Palestinian people and is an inseparable part of Palestinian territory.” The king said China supported the Gaza plan proposed by Egypt and other Arab countries on March 4th.
Following Trump’s initial announcement, there were relatively few commentary in Chinese media, which emphasized China’s basic position.
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The Global Times reported a comment by a spokesman that “Palestinians who control Palestine” should be the fundamental principle of post-conflict governance in Gaza. The article quoted it as saying, “Gaza is a Palestinian territory, not the United States or other countries, but the Palestinian territory belonging to its citizens.” Its future should not be determined by the United States. (“China opposes forced evacuation of the Gaza people: China’s FM”, February 5th)
The explanator, published on People’s Daily on February 7th, collated the responses of the great powers and Western media. “The BBC emphasized that Trump’s Gaza program is “are considered flying in the face of international law,” and CNN called Trump’s Gaza program “the strangest idea in the history of peacebuilding in the US Middle East.”
