BBCChinese people are watching the U.S. election with great interest and anxiety. They fear what will happen next, at home and abroad, no matter who occupies the White House.
“None of us wants to see war.” Mr. Xiang says, as the music in the park reaches its peak and a nearby dancer gracefully twirls her partner.
He came to Ritan Park to learn dancing with other seniors.
They gather here regularly, just a few hundred meters from the Beijing home of the U.S. ambassador to China.
Aside from new dance moves, the upcoming US election is also on my mind.
It comes at a pivotal time between the two superpowers, with tensions rising over Taiwan, trade and international issues.
“I am worried that Sino-American relations are becoming strained,” said Xiang, who is in his 60s. He added that peace is what we want.
Many people gathered to hear this conversation. Most people are reluctant to give their names in a country where it is acceptable to talk about the President of the United States, but being critical of your own leader can get you into trouble.
They say they are worried about war. I am concerned not only about the conflict between the United States and China, but also about the escalation of the war currently taking place in the Middle East and Ukraine.
That’s why Meng, who is in her 70s, hopes Donald Trump wins the election.
“He is imposing economic sanctions on China, but he does not want to start a war or wage a war. The more wars Mr. Biden starts, the more ordinary people dislike him. “The person who supports the war in Ukraine is Mr. Biden, and both Russia and Ukraine suffer great losses from the war,” he said.
Some sisters are documenting their dance routines on their social media pages. “Donald Trump said in a debate that he would end the war in Ukraine 24 hours after he takes office,” says one sister.
“As for Harris, I know very little about her. “We think she is following the same path as President Biden, who supports the war.”
Their comments reflect key messages disseminated in Chinese state media.
China has called on the international community to negotiate a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, allied itself with what it describes as its “Arab brothers” in the Middle East, and has been quick to criticize the United States for its staunch support for Israel.
On Ukraine, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told the United Nations that China was playing a “constructive role” while accusing the United States of “exploiting the situation for selfish interests.”
While most analysts believe there is no Chinese preferred candidate in this White House race, many would agree that Kamala Harris is an unknown figure to the Chinese people and the country’s leaders.
But some believe she will be more stable than Trump when it comes to Taiwan, one of the biggest points of disagreement between the United States and China.
“I don’t like Trump. There doesn’t seem to be a good future between the US and China. There are too many problems, including the global economy and Taiwan issues.” said the father, who raises a 4-year-old boy in the park for his family. All day long.
He fears their differences over Taiwan could eventually lead to conflict.
“I don’t want that. “I don’t want my son to go to the army,” he said as the young boy begged him to go back to the slide.
China claims Taiwan as its own territory, and President Xi said, “Unification is inevitable” and pledged to retake Taiwan by force if necessary.
The United States maintains formal relations with China and recognizes it as the only Chinese government under the “One China Policy,” but remains Taiwan’s most important international supporter.
Washington is legally required to provide defensive weapons to Taiwan, and Joe Biden has said the United States will defend Taiwan militarily, breaking a stance known for its strategic ambiguity.
Harris didn’t go that far. Instead, in a recent interview, she spoke of “a commitment to the security and prosperity of all nations.”
Donald Trump is instead focusing on deals, not diplomacy. He urged Taiwan to pay for protection.
“Taiwan took away our chip business. I mean, how stupid are we? They are extremely rich,” he said in a recent interview. “Taiwan must pay us for its defense.”
One of the biggest concerns about the former US president is that he has made it clear that he plans to impose a 60% tariff on Chinese goods.
That’s the last thing many companies in China want right now, as the country struggles to emerge from a recession and produce enough goods to export.
Chinese ministers have expressed outrage and disdain over the US-led trade tariffs first imposed by President Donald Trump.
President Biden also imposed tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and solar panels. Beijing believes the move is an attempt to curb its rise as a global economic powerhouse.
getty images“I don’t think imposing tariffs on China will do the United States any good,” Xiang said, echoing the thoughts of many people we met. He added that the tariffs would hurt the American people and increase costs for the public.
Many younger generations are patriotic and look to the United States for trends and culture. And the United States probably has more power than any diplomatic mission.
Lily and Anna, aged 20 and 22, who heard about TikTok in the park, echo the message of national pride spread by Chinese state media about this rivalry.
“Our country is a very prosperous and powerful country.” They speak in national costumes. They said they like China, but they also like the Avengers, especially Captain America.
Taylor Swift is also on the playlist.
Others, like 17-year-old Lucy, hope to study in the United States one day.
As she rides her bike on the park’s newly installed exercise bike, she dreams of visiting Universal Studios someday after graduation.
Lucy said she was glad to see there was a female candidate. “Harris’s candidacy is an important step forward for gender equality, and it is encouraging to see her elected as a presidential candidate.”
The People’s Republic of China has never had a female leader, and currently there is not a single woman on the 24-member team known as the Politburo, the highest-ranking member of the Chinese Communist Party.
Lucy is also concerned about the fierce competition between the two countries and believes the best way to improve relations between China and the United States is to have more people-to-people exchanges.
Although both sides have pledged to work toward this goal, the number of American students studying in China has fallen from about 15,000 to 800 in 2011.
President Xi Jinping hopes to open the door for 50,000 American students to come to China within the next five years. But in a recent interview with the BBC, US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns criticized some in the Chinese government for not taking this promise seriously.
He said security forces or government ministries have prevented Chinese nationals from participating in U.S.-run public diplomacy on dozens of occasions.
On the other hand, Chinese students and scholars have reported being unfairly targeted by U.S. border authorities.
But Lucy is optimistic that one day she will be able to travel to the United States to promote Chinese culture. And as music blares nearby, she urges Americans to visit and experience China.
“We may be a little introverted sometimes and not as extroverted or extroverted as people in the U.S., but we are welcome,” she says as she leaves with her family.
BBC Photo by Xiqing Wang
Between now and the US election on November 5, BBC correspondents from other parts of the world will explore where the results stand and what people around the world are thinking about this White House race.
