BEIJING — (AP) — China’s relations are starting to improve with Japan, India and other countries that former U.S. President Joe Biden courted, just as Donald Trump brings his more unilateralist approach back to the White House.
The change of leadership in Washington on Monday could be an opportunity for China, which has long railed against Biden’s strategy of building partnerships with “like-minded countries” to counter its growing influence.
Biden reinvigorated a grouping known as the Quad — the United States, India, Japan and Australia. China’s relations with all three of those U.S. partners are improving, as are its ties with Britain. The durability of Biden’s legacy is now in question. During his first term, Trump didn’t hesitate to challenge traditional U.S. partners.
“It is possible that Trump may drift away from U.S. allies, making them pay more attention to China’s role, and in fact it has provided a chance for China’s diplomacy,” said Wu Xinbo, dean of the Institute of International …