BEIJING — When President Donald Trump gave a fiery, divisive speech at a congressional joint session last week, a much more stable political event was ongoing on the other side of the world.
The Chinese Parliament, the annual meeting of the National People’s Assembly, is closely choreographed with all the decisions made in advance by the dominant Chinese Communist Party. Security around Central Beijing has become even more severe than usual, with troops of volunteers wearing red armbands stationed at street corners and metro stations.
While there is little surprise and no discussion, the weeklong national conference offers clues about China’s priorities at home and how it plans to plan an approach to the world.
Even if the economy is slowing, China appears to be making a strategic decision to emerge as a global stubborn man in a world of chaos as Trump overturns international trade and long-standing alliances, erodes our fame, and creates opportunities for China to fill the void.
As if to highlight China’s relative immobility, Foreign Minister Wang Yi rarely gestured or moved his hands at his annual press conference on Friday. According to the Chinese transcript, he used the word “stability” at least 14 times in 90 minutes in front of reporters.
Some of his sharpest languages have been directed at the Trump administration, with tariffs on Chinese imports doubled to 20% last week, saying more could come.
“On the one hand, we should not expect to restrain and contain China. On the other hand, we criticized what we call a “two-faced approach” while building good relations with China.
China has long complained about US tariffs. This sparked a trade war between the two biggest economies in the world in the first Trump administration. But at least outwardly, China doesn’t seem to be overly concerned about the impact of the new tariffs.
“No one’s worried,” Tech executive Yaolijun told NBC News on Wednesday.
“How can we focus solely on ourselves?” he said. “We’re not worried about other people.”
China responded to the new tariffs on Tuesday by announcing target tariffs of up to 15% on some US goods, most agricultural products, in a measured movement similar to the taxes imposed when the first 10% tariffs came into effect last month.
“They’re also known for their efforts to help them understand how they are doing,” said Joseph Gregory Mahony, professor of politics and international relations at East China Normal University in Shanghai.
The king avoided being too provocative on Friday, but earlier in the week, Beijing called for diplomacy of the more aggressive “wolf warriors” of the past.
It has been the toughest rhetoric from Beijing since Trump took office in January.
The message from these comments is clear, said Wang Dong, a professor at the International School of Studies at Beijing University in Beijing. China has defied its national interests, and the United States is trying to force it to “backfire and fail.”
“China will use the ‘TIT’ strategy. So, if the US moves into a dispute, China will follow suit and retaliate,” he said. “When the US returns to cooperation, China will do the same.”
He told Congress that he would impose mutual tariffs on “friends and enemies” from April 2nd, so it didn’t appear to be a cooperation in Trump’s heart on Tuesday.
His “America First” speech sent the message, “The United States will care solely about its own interests and pursue it in a ruthless and ruthless manner without worrying about international rules and norms.”
He said Trump had withdrawn the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement and the World Health Organization, both touted in his speech to Congress. Such a move is no longer of interest in supporting the international order based on liberal values and rules that the United States has defended since the end of World War II, Professor Wang said.
“In contrast, China’s message is willing to work with other stakeholders and the international community to tackle popular global challenges such as climate change,” he said.
Together with the theme of stability, Chinese officials announced the same economic growth target of 5% as last year. Similarly, China’s 2025 defense spending increased by only 7.2%, the same as last year.
By submitting a government work report during the opening session on Wednesday, Prime Minister Li Qiang, a Chinese No. 2 official, did not mention Trump, but noted the rise in unilateral protectionism and protectionism around the world, indicating that China will pursue opposition.
“China is ready to work with other members of the international community to promote an equal, orderly, multipolar world,” he said.
Li acknowledged important economic challenges in China, including a sustained property crisis, high youth unemployment rates and slower consumer spending. And nodded to US tariffs and other measures, he said, “A more and more complicated and serious external environment could have a major impact on China in areas such as trade, science and technology.”
“No matter what the external environment changes, we should remain immovable in our commitment to open up,” Li said. “We will continue to expand our globally oriented network of high standard free trade areas.”
China has turned down trade ties with other countries to help export-dependent economies withstand Trump’s tariffs. The US and other experts say it will be almost entirely passed on to American consumers and importers.
“Frankly, both countries are suffering in this kind of tariff war,” said Zhang Weiwei, professor of international relations at Hudan University in Shanghai and director of its Chinese Institute.
“But the United States will suffer more.”
Janice McKee Freyer reported from Beijing, Jennifer Jett and Peter Guo of Hong Kong.
