Biden’s tenure has seen relations with China deteriorate sharply, including a spy balloon incident triggered by a visit by a senior U.S. official and a display of Chinese military firepower around Taiwan.
China has said its claim to the self-governing island is red-line.
But the Biden administration has aimed to “responsibly manage” competition with China since Trump’s first term.
Analysts said the Chinese government was most likely to be concerned about the president-elect’s unpredictability.
“China is ready to negotiate and make a deal and will probably hope to engage with the Trump team early to discuss potential deals,” said Bonnie Glaser, managing director of the German Marshall Fund’s Indo-Pacific program. said.
“But at the same time, they are ready to retaliate if President Trump insists on imposing higher tariffs on China.”
She also added that China “is likely to be concerned that it lacks a credible back channel through which it can influence Trump’s policies.”
Biden acknowledged Saturday that he and Xi Jinping have always had differences, but added that discussions between him and the Chinese leader were “candid” and “candid.”
The two have held three face-to-face meetings while Biden was in the White House, including a key summit in San Francisco last year where the two sides reached agreements to combat drugs and climate change.
However, Biden’s White House also continued the Trump-era tariffs. His government imposed tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, solar panels and steel in May.
He also strengthened defense alliances across Asia and the Pacific to counter China’s growing assertiveness in the region. The outgoing president also said the United States would defend Taiwan if China invades it.
