British Broadcasting CorporationIn China, there is a lot of interest in the U.S. election, but also some anxiety. They worry that whoever wins the White House could have an impact on many aspects of life at home and abroad.
“None of us want to see war,” Mr. Xiang said, as the music in the park reached a crescendo and a nearby dancer gracefully twirled his partner.
He came to Ritan Park to learn dance from other seniors.
They gather here regularly, just a few hundred meters away from the official residence of the U.S. Ambassador to China in Beijing.
In addition to new dance moves, they are also concerned about the upcoming U.S. election.
The summit comes at a critical time between the two superpowers, with rising tensions over Taiwan, trade and international affairs.
“I’m worried that Sino-U.S. relations will become tense,” said Mr. Xiang, who is in his sixties. Peace is what we want, he added.
A group of people gathered to listen to this conversation. In a country where talking about the US president is allowed, most people prefer not to give their full names, but criticizing their own leader could get them in trouble.
They say they fear war — not just a conflict between Washington and Beijing but also an escalation of current wars in the Middle East and Ukraine.
This is why Mr. Meng, who is in his 70s, hopes that Donald Trump will win the election.
“Although he imposed economic sanctions on China, he did not want to start or fight a war. Biden started more wars, so more ordinary people did not like him. It was Biden who supported the Ukrainian war, and both Russia and Ukraine suffered in the war Huge loss.
Some sisters recorded dance moves for their social media pages.
“I know very little about Harris, and we think she’s on the same path as President Biden who is pro-war.”
Their views echo key messages being spread by Chinese state media.
China has called on the international community to negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza while aligning itself with what it calls its “Arab brothers” in the Middle East, and has been quick to accuse the United States of its staunch support for Israel.
On Ukraine, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told the United Nations that China was playing a “constructive role” and accused Washington of “exploiting the situation for personal gain.”
While most analysts believe Beijing has no favorite in this race for the White House, many agree Kamala Harris is an unknown quantity to the Chinese people and the country’s leaders.
But some believe she will be more stable than Trump when it comes to Taiwan, one of the biggest flashpoints between the United States and China.
“I don’t like Trump. I don’t think there’s a good future between the United States and China – there are too many problems, the global economy, and the Taiwan issue.
He worries that their differences over Taiwan could eventually lead to conflict.
“I don’t want it. I don’t want my son to go into the army,” the little boy said as he begged to get back on the slide.
China claims the self-ruled island of Taiwan, and President Xi Jinping has said “reunification is inevitable” and vowed to retake it by force if necessary.
The United States maintains official relations with Beijing and recognizes it as the only Chinese government implementing the “one-China policy”, but it remains Taiwan’s most important international supporter.
Washington is legally obliged to provide Taiwan with defensive weapons, and Joe Biden has also said the United States will defend Taiwan militarily, breaking with what he calls strategic ambiguity.
Harris hasn’t gone that far yet. Instead, she said she was “committed to the security and prosperity of all countries” when asked in a recent interview.
Instead, Donald Trump is focused on making deals, not diplomacy. He called on Taiwan to pay for its protection.
“Taiwan took our chip business away from us. I mean, how stupid were we? They were very rich,” he said in a recent interview. “Taiwan should pay us defense expenses.”
One of their biggest concerns about the former US president is that he has also made it clear that he plans to impose 60% tariffs on Chinese goods.
That’s the last thing many Chinese businesses want to see right now, as the country struggles to produce enough goods to export to escape its economic downturn.
China’s ministers are furious at the U.S.-led trade tariffs first imposed by Donald Trump.
President Biden has also targeted Chinese electric vehicles and solar panels with tariffs. Beijing sees these measures as an attempt to curb its rise as a global economic power.
Getty Images“I don’t think there’s any benefit to the United States from imposing tariffs on China,” Xiang said, echoing the sentiments of many we’ve seen. He added that tariffs would hit the American people and increase costs for the general public.
Many younger generations, while patriotic, also look to the United States for trends and culture—perhaps more influential than any diplomatic corps.
In the park, Lily and Anna, ages 20 and 22, who get their news from TikTok, echoed some of the national pride messages spread by China’s state media in talking about the rivalry.
“Our country is a very prosperous and powerful country,” they said, wearing national costumes. They love China, they say, even though they also love the Avengers, especially Captain America.
Taylor Swift is also on their playlist.
Others, like 17-year-old Lucy, hope to one day study in the United States.
As she rode the park’s newly installed exercise bike, she dreamed of one day visiting Universal Studios after graduation.
Lucy said she was happy to see a female candidate. “Harris’ candidacy marks an important step forward for gender equality, and it’s encouraging to see her emerge as a presidential candidate.”
The People’s Republic of China has never had a female leader, and there is not a single female member of the highest-ranking Communist Party of China, which currently consists of 24 members of the Politburo.
Lucy is also worried about the fierce competition between the two countries and believes that the best way for China and the United States to improve relations is to strengthen people-to-people and cultural exchanges.
Both sides have vowed to work toward this goal, but the number of American students studying in China has dropped to 800 from about 15,000 in 2011.
Xi Jinping hopes to open the door for 50,000 American students to come to China in the next five years. But in a recent interview with the BBC, US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns accused some parts of the Chinese government of not taking this commitment seriously.
He said that security forces or government departments have repeatedly prevented Chinese citizens from participating in public diplomacy conducted by the United States.
On the other hand, Chinese students and academics reported that they were unfairly targeted by U.S. border officials.
However, Lucy remains optimistic that she will one day be able to travel to the United States to promote Chinese culture. As music blared nearby, she urged Americans to visit and experience China.
“We may be a little reserved sometimes and not as outgoing or outgoing as Americans, but we are welcoming,” she said as she prepared to reunite with her family.
BBC Photography: Wang Xiqing
Between now and the US election on November 5, BBC correspondents in other parts of the world will explore the impact the election results may have on their regions, and how people around the world are viewing the race for the White House
