Trump appoints China hawks, including Rubio, tightening ties with Beijing

Relations between the USA and China are It’s shaping up to be as controversial as expected, with President-elect Donald Trump poised to appoint two well-known China hawks to key positions as he begins forming his “America First” Cabinet. Senator Marco Rubio, who has been particularly aggressive against China’s economic rise and is one of several U.S. officials who have been barred from entering the country, is reportedly being considered for secretary of state. Hong Kong stocks led losses in Asia amid fears it could lead to years of trade tensions. Rep. Mike Waltz, who also sees China as a “greater threat” to the U.S. than any other country, appears to be headed toward the influential role of national security adviser. Zhu Junwei, a former People’s Liberation Army researcher and now director of the Grandview Institution in Beijing, said of Rubio’s appointment: “It would be a real nightmare if he got the job.”

The exodus from Hong Kong financial professionals will finally be over, as the number of licensed professionals in the city rose to a record last month. China’s Citic Securities and Izzy Englander’s Millennium Management are at the forefront of hiring, supporting the city as it struggles with a real estate decline and a brain drain in the wake of the pandemic and years of political unrest. The rise in finance jobs is a result of a series of measures to ease immigration – measures that have also led to a rise in rents due to the influx of mainland Chinese and foreigners.