China better prepared for Trump

China is better prepared for a trade dispute with the US than during Donald Trump’s first term, analysts said. Trump promises high tariffs on Chinese imports, but Beijing in the last four years has bolstered its defenses, including through export controls and an entity list targeting American companies, Bloomberg wrote. However, China has more to lose now: It’s facing an economic slump and hopes to avoid another trade war, which could force Beijing to take stronger steps to boost domestic spending, Goldman Sachs researchers said.

China’s pressure on Taiwan also looms large; Trump has questioned Washington’s military backing for the self-governing island, but it’s unlikely he’ll fully abandon support, Foreign Policy wrote.