China’s state media runs blow-by-blow account of Trump’s return, calls for ‘more bridges’

US President Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony and his activities on day one were covered extensively by Chinese state media, as commentaries called for a responsible handling of ties.

Communist Party mouthpiece People’s Daily offered spot news on the ceremony and some of the executive orders signed by Trump on his first day back at the White House. These included revoking dozens of Biden-era executive orders and US withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO).

The newspaper quoted excerpts from Trump’s inaugural speech, including on how Washington was confronted with “a crisis of trust” and was unable to “manage even a simple crisis at home while at the same time stumbling into a continuing catalogue of catastrophic events abroad”.

Earlier, the People’s Daily urged the US to “dig fewer pits and build more bridges” for a smooth transition in relations with China.

“China-US relations are at a new historical juncture,” it said in an online commentary published hours before the inauguration ceremony.

“It is hoped that the US … stops its erroneous remarks and actions concerning China, digs fewer pits and builds more bridges, creates favourable conditions for the stable, healthy, and sustainable development of bilateral relations.”