BBCIn China, persons are following the US election with eager curiosity and a few anxiousness. They concern what might occur subsequent at residence and overseas, whoever wins the White Home.
“None of us desires to see a conflict,” 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 recurrently, only a few hundred metres from the Beijing residence 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’m apprehensive 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 hearken 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 essential of their very own chief might get them in hassle.
They are saying they’re apprehensive about conflict – 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.
“Though he imposes financial sanctions on China, he doesn’t want to begin or battle a conflict. Mr Biden begins extra wars so extra strange folks dislike him. It’s Mr Biden who helps Ukraine’s conflict and each Russia and Ukraine undergo nice loss from the conflict,” he mentioned.
Some sisters recording a dance routine for his or her social media web page chip in. “Donald Trump mentioned within the debate that he’ll finish the conflict in Ukraine 24 hours after he takes workplace,” says one.
“About Harris, I do know little about her, we expect she follows the identical route as President Biden who helps conflict.”
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 guilty the US for its unwavering assist of Israel.
On Ukraine, International Minister Wang Yi instructed the United Nations that China was enjoying a “constructive function” as he accused Washington of “exploiting the scenario for egocentric acquire”.
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 might be extra secure than Trump in terms of one of many largest flashpoints between the US and China – Taiwan.
“I don’t like Trump. I don’t assume there’s a good future between the US and China – there are too many issues, the worldwide economic system, and likewise the Taiwan downside,” says a father of a four-year-old boy within the park for a household day trip.
He fears their variations over Taiwan might finally result in battle.
“I don’t need it. I don’t need my son to go to the navy,” 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 mentioned “reunification is inevitable”, vowing to retake it by drive if mandatory.
The US maintains official ties with Beijing and recognises it as the one Chinese language authorities underneath its “One China coverage” nevertheless it additionally stays Taiwan’s most important worldwide supporter.
Washington is sure by regulation to supply Taiwan with defensive weapons and Joe Biden has mentioned that the US would defend Taiwan militarily, breaking with a stance referred to as strategic ambiguity.
Harris has not gone that far. As a substitute, when requested in a latest interview she acknowledged a “dedication to safety 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 enterprise from us. I imply, how silly are we? They’re immensely rich,” he mentioned in a latest interview. “Taiwan ought to pay us for defence.”
One in every of their largest worries in terms 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 had been first imposed by Donald Trump.
President Biden has additionally levied tariffs, concentrating on Chinese language digital automobiles and photo voltaic panels. Beijing believes these strikes are an try to curb its rise as a world financial energy.
Getty Photos“I don’t assume it’ll 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.
Most of the the youthful technology, whereas patriotic, additionally look in direction of the US for tendencies 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 pleasure unfold by Chinese language state media in terms of this aggressive relationship.
“Our nation is a really affluent and highly effective nation,” they are saying, dressed of their nationwide costumes. They love China, they mentioned, though in addition they adore the Avengers and notably Captain America.
Taylor Swift is on their playlists too.
Others like 17-year-old Lucy hope to check in America sooner or later.
As she cycles on an train bike, newly put in within the park, she desires about visiting Common Studios sooner or later – after her commencement.
Lucy says she is worked up to see there’s a feminine candidate. “Harris’s candidacy marks an necessary step ahead 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 group referred to as the Politburo that makes up essentially the most senior members of the Chinese language Communist Celebration.
Lucy can be apprehensive concerning the intense competitors between the 2 nations and believes one of the simplest 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 learning 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 come back to China within the subsequent 5 years. However in a latest interview with the BBC, the US ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns, accused elements of the Chinese language authorities of not taking this pledge severely.
He mentioned that on dozens of events the safety forces or a authorities ministry have prevented Chinese language residents from taking part 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, nonetheless, stays optimistic that she is going to be capable to journey to America sooner or later, to advertise Chinese language tradition. And, because the music strikes up close by, she urges People to go to and expertise China.
“We could also be a bit bit reserved generally and never as outgoing or as extrovert as US folks, however we’re 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 elements of the world might be exploring the impression its end result might have the place they’re, and what folks across the globe make of this White Home race
