One critical area to watch in the coming year will be Sino-US relations after Donald Trump begins his second presidential term. Since Trump's election on November 5, 2024, and even before he is inaugurated on 20 January, China has pulled off many outrageous feats and set preconditions for ongoing bilateral ties. For example, Beijing has hacked the US Treasury Department and executed the "worst telecom hack in US history". China has also imposed severe export controls and sanctioned American firms.