BBCIn China, persons are following the US election with eager curiosity and a few anxiousness. They concern what may occur subsequent at house and overseas, whoever wins the White Home.
“None of us wants to see a war,” says Mr Xiang, because the music within the park reaches a crescendo and a close-by dancer elegantly spins his accomplice.
He has come to Ritan Park to study dance with different seniors.
They collect right here frequently, just some hundred metres from the Beijing house of the American ambassador in China.
Along with new dance strikes, the looming US election can be on their minds.
It comes at a pivotal time between the 2 superpowers, with tensions over Taiwan, commerce and worldwide affairs working excessive.
“I am worried that Sino-US relations are getting tense,” says Mr Xiang who’s in his sixties. Peace is what we would like, he provides.
A crowd has gathered to take heed to this dialog. Most are reluctant to offer their full names in a rustic the place it’s permissible to speak concerning the US president, however being important of their very own chief may get them in hassle.
They are saying they’re frightened about struggle – not nearly a battle between Washington and Beijing however an escalation of present wars within the Center East and Ukraine.
That’s the reason Mr Meng, in his 70s, hopes Donald Trump will win the election.
“Although he imposes economic sanctions on China, he does not wish to start or fight a war. Mr Biden starts more wars so more ordinary people dislike him. It is Mr Biden who supports Ukraine’s war and both Russia and Ukraine suffer great loss from the war,” he stated.
Some sisters recording a dance routine for his or her social media web page chip in. “Donald Trump said in the debate that he will end the war in Ukraine 24 hours after he takes office,” says one.
“About Harris, I know little about her, we think she follows the same route as President Biden who supports war.”
Their opinions echo a key message being propagated on Chinese language state media.
China has referred to as on the worldwide neighborhood to barter a ceasefire in Gaza whereas aligning itself with what it describes as its “Arab brothers” within the Center East and has been fast in charge the US for its unwavering help of Israel.
On Ukraine, Overseas Minister Wang Yi advised the United Nations that China was enjoying a “constructive role” as he accused Washington of “exploiting the situation for selfish gain”.
Whereas most analysts imagine Beijing doesn’t have a favorite on this race for the White Home, many would agree that Kamala Harris is an unknown amount to Chinese language folks and the nation’s leaders.
However some imagine she shall be extra steady than Trump on the subject of one of many greatest flashpoints between the US and China – Taiwan.
“I don’t like Trump. I don’t think there is a good future between the US and China – there are too many problems, the global economy, and also the Taiwan problem,” says a father of a four-year-old boy within the park for a household day trip.
He fears their variations over Taiwan may ultimately result in battle.
“I don’t want it. I don’t want my son to go to the military,” he says because the younger boy pleads to return on the slide.
China claims the self-governing island of Taiwan as its personal and President Xi has stated “reunification is inevitable”, vowing to retake it by power if vital.
The US maintains official ties with Beijing and recognises it as the one Chinese language authorities below its “One China policy” nevertheless it additionally stays Taiwan’s most important worldwide supporter.
Washington is sure by legislation to offer Taiwan with defensive weapons and Joe Biden has stated that the US would defend Taiwan militarily, breaking with a stance generally known as strategic ambiguity.
Harris has not gone that far. As a substitute, when requested in a current interview she acknowledged a “commitment to security and prosperity for all nations.”
Donald Trump is as an alternative targeted on a deal – not diplomacy. He has referred to as on Taiwan to pay for its safety.
“Taiwan took our chip business from us. I mean, how stupid are we? They’re immensely wealthy,” he stated in a current interview. “Taiwan should pay us for defence.”
One in every of their greatest worries on the subject of the previous US president is that he has additionally made it clear he plans to impose 60% tariffs on Chinese language items.
That is the very last thing many companies in China need proper now because the nation is making an attempt to fabricate sufficient items to export itself out of an financial downturn.
Ministers in China bristle with contempt at US-led commerce tariffs which have been first imposed by Donald Trump.
President Biden has additionally levied tariffs, focusing on Chinese language digital automobiles and photo voltaic panels. Beijing believes these strikes are an try and curb its rise as a worldwide financial energy.
Getty Photographs“I don’t think it will do any good to the US to impose tariffs on China,” says Mr Xiang, echoing the feelings of many we met. The tariffs will hit the US folks, he provides, and enhance prices for strange folks.
Lots of the the youthful era, whereas patriotic, additionally look in direction of the US for traits and tradition – and that, maybe greater than any diplomatic mission, has energy too.
Within the park, Lily and Anna, aged 20 and 22, who get their information from TikTok, echo among the nationwide messages of satisfaction unfold by Chinese language state media on the subject of this aggressive relationship.
“Our country is a very prosperous and powerful country,” they are saying, dressed of their nationwide costumes. They love China, they stated, though additionally they adore the Avengers and notably Captain America.
Taylor Swift is on their playlists too.
Others like 17-year-old Lucy hope to review in America at some point.
As she cycles on an train bike, newly put in within the park, she goals about visiting Common Studios at some point – after her commencement.
Lucy says she is happy to see there’s a feminine candidate. “Harris’s candidacy marks an important step forward for gender equality, and it’s encouraging to see her as a presidential candidate.”
The Individuals’s Republic of China has by no means had a feminine chief and never a single lady presently sits on the 24-member workforce generally known as the Politburo that makes up probably the most senior members of the Chinese language Communist Occasion.
Lucy can be frightened concerning the intense competitors between the 2 nations and believes one of the best ways for China and the Uned States to enhance their relationship is to have extra people-to-people exchangesit.
Either side have vowed to work in direction of this, and but the variety of US college students finding out in China has fallen from round 15,000 in 2011 to 800.
Xi hopes to open the door for 50,000 American college students to return to China within the subsequent 5 years. However in a current interview with the BBC, the US ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns, accused components of the Chinese language authorities of not taking this pledge severely.
He stated that on dozens of events the safety forces or a authorities ministry have prevented Chinese language residents from collaborating in public diplomacy run by the US.
On the opposite aspect, Chinese language college students and teachers have reported being unfairly focused by US border officers.
Lucy, nevertheless, stays optimistic that she’s going to have the ability to journey to America at some point, to advertise Chinese language tradition. And, because the music strikes up close by, she urges Individuals to go to and expertise China.
“We may be a little bit reserved sometimes and not as outgoing or as extrovert as US people, but we are welcoming,” she says as she heads off to hitch her household.
BBC images by Xiqing Wang
Between now and the US election on 5 November, BBC correspondents in different components of the world shall be exploring the impression its final result may have the place they’re, and what folks across the globe make of this White Home race
