Seminar on the Assessment of Trump’s Domestic and Foreign Policies in the First Year of His Return to Office Held

On January 13, 2026, the 22nd International Hot Issues Seminar, titled “An Assessment of Trump’s Domestic and Foreign Policies in the First Year of His Return to Office”, was held. The event was hosted by the National Academy of Development and Strategy (NADS), Renmin University of China (RUC), and organized by the Center for Global Study.

The seminar was attended by a number of distinguished experts and scholars, including NI Feng, former Director and Research Fellow of the Institute of American Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; SUN Yanfeng, Director and Research Fellow of the Institute of Latin American Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations; ZHANG Wenzong, Deputy Director and Research Fellow of the Institute of American Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations; ZHANG Tengjun, Deputy Director and Associate Research Fellow of the Institute of American Studies, China Institute of International Studies; CUI Fan, Professor at the School of International Economics and Trade, University of International Business and Economics; LI Wei, Vice Dean and Professor of the School of International Studies, RUC; and DIAO Daming, Vice Dean of NADS and Professor of the School of International Studies, RUC. The seminar was moderated by ZHU Dan, Research Fellow at the National Academy of Development and Strategy, and Deputy Director of the Center for Global Study.

The participating experts engaged in in-depth discussions on the trajectory of U.S. domestic and foreign policies under Trump’s return to office, offering a systematic assessment of the policy logic, major initiatives, and their impacts on the international landscape, China-U.S. relations, and global governance during the first year of his renewed presidency. They unanimously agreed that an accurate understanding of the policy logic behind Trump’s return to power requires moving beyond interpretations focused on personal style and instead situating it within the dual context of structural changes in U.S. domestic politics and profound shifts in the international balance of power. The experts emphasized that China should, while maintaining strategic resolve, strengthen systematic assessments of U.S. policy, properly address risks and challenges, and proactively shape an external environment conducive to its own development.

Proofreader: DIAO Daming

Translator: ZHANG Yuqing

Web Editor: ZHANG Jingjing