Uncertainty and soft tones, how the world welcomes Trump's economic promises

What will Trump do to the world economy? Uncertainty dominates among leaders and governments at the news of Donald Trump's return to the White House. The special guard is China, with which Trump has never hidden that he has an open account. In the hours of the tycoon's victory, Beijing is choosing soft tones, a diplomatic approach to the hottest topics. A spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce, in response to a question on new US tariffs and technology restrictions against Beijing with Trump's return to the White House, says China is willing "to strengthen communication with the US, expand cooperation and resolve differences on the basis of the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation". China is also ready 'to promote the development of bilateral economic and trade relations towards a stable balance' because 'a healthy and sustainable direction is to the benefit of both sides and the world at large'. But, behind the scenes, "the Chinese government is preparing for the worst," Zhu Junwei, director of American research at the Grandview Institution in Beijing, tells Bloomberg. China, a rare bipartisan target in Washington, is in the crosshairs of the new Trump administration, with its demands for tariffs of up to 60% on Chinese goods. His victory 'means pessimism and uncertainty', says Da Wei, director of the Centre for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University in Beijing.

He also has Europe to fear given the less than pleasant history between the Old Continent and Trump I. But even here, accommodating words are chosen to welcome back The Donald. "We will work well with the new Trump administration. I have some experience working with President Trump from his previous term, so there is something to build on. I think it is very important" to start "from analysing together what our common interests are and work on that". So said EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on her arrival at the Puskas Arena to attend the European Political Community Summit, when asked how Europe would react to any new import duties by the Trump administration.

French President Emmanuel Macron said not dissimilar things: 'Ready to work together as we have been able to do during the four years with your convictions and mine. With respect and ambition, for more peace and more prosperity'. Immediately afterwards Macron and German Chancellor Scholz spoke on the phone "to coordinate closely", says a German government spokesman. The message from the Elysée Palace is that we need a 'more united, stronger, more sovereign Europe in the new context'. Macron recalls that 'our role is not to comment on the choices of sovereign peoples but to say that we need a European strategic awakening'.

Reassuring tones also came from Mexico, one of Trump's favourite targets. In her morning conference at the National Palace, Mexico's president, Claudia Sheinbaum, called on the population to remain calm, including migrants living and working in the US, following the Republican candidate's victory. "To our compatriots in the US," the head of state said, "to their relatives who are here, to Mexican businessmen and women, I can assure them that there is no reason to worry. Mexico never stops'. These statements come after Trump's repeated threats during the campaign to impose tariffs on imports from Mexico and his promise, made in his first speech after victory, to 'seal the country's borders' to allow immigrants to enter 'only legally'. Last night, Sheinbaum congratulated Trump on his victory, expressing 'recognition to the American people for their democratic exercise. I am confident,' she added on X, 'that we will continue to work together in a coordinated manner, with dialogue and respect for our sovereignties, to advance the broad bilateral agenda that unites us.

In Taiwan, the islands that China claims as its territory, concerns focus on Trump's 'unpredictability and isolationism', according to Chen Fang-yu, assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at Soochow University, citing the possible weakening of AUKUS (the security partnership between the US, UK and Australia) and security cooperation between the US, Japan and the Philippines. Trump questioned whether the US would come to the aid of the global semiconductor hub should China invade or blockade the archipelago. "Trump still sees the islands as a bargaining chip in negotiations with China, or something related to Chinese business," Chen said. "He himself doesn't care about Taiwan at all."