What China Thinks of the 2024 US Election

China is watching closely and preparing for how either outcome could shape the world's most important bilateral relationship.

"The Chinese people and the Chinese government are watching closely what's going on in the U.S. , the process, the differences in polices between the two candidates," Xu Qindao , a senior fellow at the Pangoal Institution in Beijing , told Newsweek .

Trump has been particularly vocal on his views of China , while Harris has largely portrayed the relationship with Beijing as a competition.

Beijing is wary of a potential restart of the trade war under Trump , especially as China faces significant internal economic challenges.

China has officially expressed its neutrality and willingness to work with either side of the U.S. "The presidential election is the domestic affair of the United States ," a Chinese Embassy spokesperson said.

China is looking to pursue a more open posture regardless of who emerges victorious in the election.

Wang : " Kamala Harris' position, especially in terms of China - U.S. relations, is seen as some sort of stabilization or continuity of Biden 's China policy" " Donald Trump is simply too unpredictable to tell what he will implement if he wins the election," he said.

But he felt instability "doesn't really benefit anybody" in the United States .