Joe Biden. Photo: VCG

 
Joe Biden will likely have a tough time in 2024 winning as many votes as Trump received in November, a Chinese expert told the Global Times annual forum on Saturday. 

While Joe Biden won the presidential election with more than 80 million votes, many of those votes were cast against Trump, and their motivation and enthusiasm won’t likely be there in 2024, Huang Jing, dean of the Institute on National and Regional Studies at Beijing Language and Culture University, told at the forum. 

“But those 73 million votes Trump gained were from hardcore supporters, and they will wait for another try in 2024,” Huang said. 

If Democrats don’t win the 2022 midterm elections, it will be extremely difficult for Biden to win a second term in 2024, said Huang. “In 2024, if 10 percent of Biden’s 80 million voters don’t vote, Biden might receive about 72 million of votes, fewer than hardcore supporters of Trump,” he said. 

Trump is considering launching a 2024 presidential campaign, US media have reported. Some reports predict that he will announce his run for US president during Biden’s inaugural week, probably on inauguration day.  

Huang Jing photo: Global Times

 
Huang also predicts Biden will adopt a more “compromising” approach toward his opponents and actively repair ties with  major US allies such as Japan and Europe.

“Domestically, Biden will try to remedy the country’s growing divergences; and on the foreign policy side, he will push for US’ return to multilateralism, which will create some opportunities for China,” Huang said. 

However, Biden will be very tough on China-related issues including human rights, democracy and values, and the US government will push for a common front of the so-called alliance of democratic countries, Huang predicted.