According to a senior adviser to Beijing’s Foreign Ministry, President Donald Trump’s administration, ever the champion of instant gratification, appears to have spectacularly misjudged China’s resolve. In what can only be described as a masterclass in geopolitical naivety, Washington assumed a few hefty tariffs would be enough to buckle the knees of the Middle Kingdom.

“The prevailing wisdom in the Trump camp was that, because the Chinese economy was ‘bad’, the mere hint of a trade war would force Beijing into submission,” said Wu Xinbo, director of the Centre for American Studies at Fudan University, who led a Chinese delegation to meet U.S. politicians and business leaders last year.
“To their great surprise, China neither crumbled nor surrendered,” Wu quipped at a Shanghai roundtable. “The U.S. has fundamentally misread the situation and is woefully unprepared for this standoff.”

Indeed, while Trump’s tariffs – an eye-watering 145% on most Chinese goods – have rattled markets, China’s leadership always seems content to play the long game. After all, a few decades of patient strategy are far more comfortable for Beijing than Trump’s need for immediate ‘wins’ before the next news cycle.
As Washington frets over inflation, stock markets, and the next electoral poll, Beijing has been quietly preparing for what it now sees as a “high-intensity phase” of trade friction. Trump, meanwhile, has been busy ringing President Xi Jinping, claiming ongoing talks – talks which, amusingly, Beijing denies are even taking place. Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun quickly reminded Washington not to “mislead the public.”

While Trump waves olive branches with one hand, promising he won’t “play hard” if China caves, his other hand is still swinging the tariff bat wildly. Beijing, unsurprisingly, has responded with a shrug and a simple demand: remove all unilateral tariffs or don’t bother.
In true form, China’s negotiators are in no rush. Xi Jinping’s team has clarified that respect, not tweets, is the prerequisite for meaningful dialogue. And unlike Trump’s cabinet – known more for their colourful soundbites than cohesive policy – Beijing prefers a calm and coordinated front.

So here we are. Trump’s rapid-fire trade war meets China’s centuries-old patience. The result? A geopolitical farce that threatens global trade, while the U.S. administration insists on making demands without a plan beyond tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the Chinese central bank governor and finance minister are in Washington, not to meet Trump’s people, but for routine IMF meetings – not a word about trade talks. One might say they’ve other, more serious matters to attend to.

Back in Beijing, officials are calmly holding two-day strategy sessions, preparing for a prolonged confrontation. “We’re now in a very adversarial relationship,” said Wu, noting that finance, technology, and even cultural exchanges could all become collateral damage.
In recent days, Trump has hinted at reducing tariffs if China plays ball. But Beijing isn’t biting. They’d prefer he stop lobbing insults via his cabinet first. And as Wu noted, China has no intention of backing down—”This isn’t a slogan, it’s policy.”
So how does this end? Not quickly, and certainly not on Trump’s timeline. Wu was blunt: “The time horizon favours China. It’s up to the U.S. to decide whether it wants to fight or not.”
Because while America craves quick fixes, Beijing is perfectly content to wait them out.