Trump's political humbling signals short-term gain, long-term pain for China

Donald Trump’s political setback in Tuesday’s U.S. midterm elections could give China an opening in trade negotiations, even as Beijing is unlikely to enjoy the moment. Reuters reports Democrats took control of Congress, a development analysts say may make Trump more cautious about destabilizing a fragile trade truce with China. Negotiations are set to resume later this month, with Trump expected to meet Xi Jinping at the APEC summit in Shenzhen. Chinese and Western analysts also say Beijing may use the next two years to diversify trade ties ahead of a potentially less China-friendly U.S. administration. Still, risks remain, including pressure to unfreeze arms sales to Taiwan and broader regional conflict tied to Iran that could strain China’s energy security.