Donald Trump's election as the next U.S. president signifies a significant shift in U.S. foreign and domestic policy, with major implications for China. Both China and Russia appear to welcome his victory, expecting his leadership to deepen societal divisions in the U.S., creating an ideal environment for influence operations. China has long engaged in such activities, targeting a polarized America divided between progressive and conservative factions. Trump’s return presents opportunities for China to destabilize the U.S. further at minimal cost.

Trump's presidency is likely to intensify confrontation with China. A report by the Heritage Foundation, 2025 Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise ("Project 2025"), outlines a vision aligned with this approach. While Democrats and media outlets criticized the report as a blueprint for authoritarian governance, Trump denied involvement, though his campaign platform, Agenda 47, overlaps significantly with its recommendations. Project 2025 emphasizes centralization, domestic reform and decoupling from China, aligning with Trump’s focus on economic security as national security.

Notably, 267 participants contributed to Project 2025, many of whom were part of Trump's previous campaigns or administration. Trump himself praised the Heritage Foundation’s influence in shaping policy, signaling potential alignment. The report serves as a strategic guide for a second Trump administration, focusing on a strategic and economic war with China. It emphasizes domestic innovation and reforms as prerequisites for prevailing in this conflict, underscoring alliances as central to U.S. foreign policy.

Project 2025 places defending Taiwan at the heart of U.S. military and strategic interests, supported by alliances in the........

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