Sanctions Imposed on U.S. Officials – Reuters

By Michael Martina

WASHINGTON – During his campaign for a second term, former President Donald Trump has emphasized a tough stance toward China as a key aspect of his foreign policy agenda. However, if Trump wins the election on November 5, he and Chinese leaders will face an awkward reality: many of the top candidates for foreign policy positions in a Trump administration are already sanctioned by China and prohibited from entering the country.

In early 2021, shortly after President Joe Biden assumed office, China took the unprecedented step of sanctioning 28 former Trump administration officials. This action stemmed from what Beijing viewed as anti-China policies implemented during Trump’s presidency, reflecting China’s gamble that his time in the White House was over.

The sanctions prevent individuals such as former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo—whom Beijing has labeled a liar and a "clown"—and former National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien from traveling to China. Pompeo has expressed openness to working with Trump again, and sources indicate that O’Brien could play a significant role in a potential second Trump term. Recent opinion polls suggest that the race between Republican Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris is very close.

The strained relations between China and potential decision-makers in a Trump administration raise crucial questions about future interactions between the two countries, both of which describe their relationship as one of the most important in the world.

"This situation presents a new challenge for China," stated Wu Xinbo, director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai. "If these previously sanctioned officials return to the U.S. government, it is unlikely that the sanctions would be lifted immediately from China’s perspective."

Experts and former Trump administration officials agree that China must address this issue. A U.S. government official who has been sanctioned noted, "China will have to back down; otherwise, there will be no dealings with the Chinese Communist Party."

The Chinese embassy in Washington declined to comment on the matter.

Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt emphasized, "President Trump will prioritize selecting officials he deems best for serving the American people, regardless of China’s stance."

In January 2021, China had previously sanctioned 10 former Trump officials by name, accusing them of making "crazy moves" that severely interfered with China’s internal affairs. In addition to Pompeo and O’Brien, sanctions were placed on individuals like David Stilwell, the top diplomat for East Asia, former White House economist Peter Navarro, and Keith Krach, whose visit to Taiwan in 2020 angered Beijing. Some, such as former National Security Adviser John Bolton, have had public disagreements with Trump, making their return to a second administration unlikely. Additionally, China sanctioned another 18 individuals without revealing their identities.

Many of these officials played crucial roles in implementing Trump’s aggressive approach to China, marked by significant tariffs that escalated into a trade war and the classification of China’s treatment of Uyghur Muslims as genocide.

Chinese officials have shown particular antagonism toward Pompeo, who visited Taiwan as a private citizen in 2022 and advocated for U.S. recognition of the island as a country. This prompted a reaction from Beijing, which stated that Pompeo had undermined his credibility.

Pompeo has hinted at a willingness to return to a Trump administration. At the Republican National Convention in July, he described serving under Trump as his "greatest honor" and labeled China the "greatest threat" to the United States.

Neither Pompeo nor O’Brien responded to requests for comment.

Navigating Sanctions

The imposition of sanctions on officials has previously complicated U.S.-China diplomacy. For instance, the U.S. sanctioned former Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu, resulting in a lengthy impasse during which China refused to meet with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. This issue was ultimately resolved when China removed Li amidst a domestic corruption scandal.

Currently, Beijing’s 2021 Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law complicates matters further by making it more challenging for the Chinese government to reverse sanctions. "This binds their hands and creates a situation that is harder to navigate than a private travel ban," noted Jack Zhang, a sanctions expert.

Nonetheless, both countries may pursue workaround solutions. Meetings could be held in third-party countries, or Beijing might attempt to engage Trump administration surrogates through informal channels or selectively meet with non-sanctioned officials.

China may also choose to temporarily lift the restrictions, a tactic the U.S. has previously employed. Ivan Kanapathy, a former member of the National Security Council under Trump, commented, "For Beijing, it would be relatively easier for the leadership to signal to the bureaucracy to engage with U.S. officials, as political considerations often override the rule of law in China."