Abstract:

In December 2025, the White House released the National Security Strategy for Trump’s second term. The United States shifted the focus of its national security strategy from external competition to internal restructuring—both within the United States and within the Western world. The goal was not to abandon the pursuit of global dominance, but rather to repair the foundations of American hegemony in terms of power foundation, political ideology, and alliance management. It aims to forge a low-cost, selective, and transactional form of American hegemony. Compared to the National Security Strategies during the Biden administration and Trump’s first term, the new report’s narrative regarding China is relatively more measured. However, China remains viewed by the Trump administration as the most significant competitor. The United States will intensify its competition with China in economic and technological spheres, strengthen its military deterrence against China in the “Indo–Pacific” region, and exert pressure on China’s influence in the Western Hemisphere and other regions. The Sino–US strategic competition is evolving into a new dynamic characterized by long-term rivalry, mutual balances, and selective engagement. China must analyze the complex implications of the Trump administration’s strategic adjustments, enhance its capabilities, and refine its policy toolkit toward the United States. It is needed to explore new models for “managed cooperation” between China and the United States.

Keywords:

Donald Trump, national security, alliance strategy, US–China relations