Former President Donald Trump has dismissed concerns that the growing rapport between China, Russia, and their respective allies poses a significant challenge to the United States’ global standing.
Speaking to reporters at his office, the former President stated he maintains “a good relationship” with President Xi Jinping, further asserting that China “needs us more than we need them.”
These remarks come as Xi Jinping prepares to host an international gathering, including a “Victory Day” parade in Beijing. The event is widely viewed as a demonstration of China’s military strength.
Xi is expected to be joined by North Korea’s Kim Jong Un and Russia’s Vladimir Putin, a gathering some observers interpret as a symbolic message directed towards Western nations.
Since the implementation of tariffs by the Trump administration, China has increasingly positioned itself as a potential counterbalance to the United States on the world stage.
Mr. Trump has defended his tariffs as crucial for safeguarding American interests and bolstering domestic industry, seemingly indicating a willingness to absorb any potential diplomatic repercussions.
When questioned by the BBC regarding whether he believed Beijing and its allies were attempting to forge an international coalition against the US, Mr. Trump responded: “No. Not at all. China needs us.”
He elaborated, “I have a very good relationship with President Xi, as you know. But China needs us much more than we need them. I don’t see that at all.”
In a separate radio interview conducted earlier, Mr. Trump conveyed his lack of concern regarding the strengthening ties between Russia and China.
Speaking on the Scott Jennings radio show, he asserted that the United States possesses “the most powerful military forces in the world” and expressed confidence that “they would never use their military forces against us.”
“Believe me, that would be the worst thing they could ever do,” he stated.
Separately, Mr. Trump voiced his “very disappointed” in Putin, after they failed to reach a peace deal for Ukraine during their meeting in Alaska last month.
“I’m very disappointed in President Putin, I can say that,” Trump said, adding that the US “will be doing something to help people live” in Ukraine. He did not specify.
China has refrained from condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and has faced accusations from Western nations of indirectly supporting Russia’s war efforts through the provision of dual-use goods and the purchase of Russian oil. Beijing has denied these allegations.
Concurrently, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported renewed Russian troop deployments along various sectors of the front lines.
“[Putin] refuses to be forced into peace,” Zelensky said in his nightly video address.
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