US Elections: A view from the world

As US Elections enter its final stage, here is a look at how some countries look at the presidential candidates:

Mexico

Donald Trump promised to build a border wall, with Mexico paying. Trump’s wall and his pledges to rip up the North American Free Trade Agreement, or Nafta, and slap tariffs on Mexican-made products have caused preoccupation in business circles, which have bet on closer US relations in the past 25 years.

Russia
 

Vladimir Putin has a personal dislike of Hillary Clinton going back to her time as secretary of state, while Trump fits perfectly into the mould of “chaos candidates” that Russia has supported in other western countries.

UK
 

A Trump victory would be a conundrum for the UK. A Clinton administration would be more of a known quantity, with senior diplomats already familiar with UK officials. Given the closeness of the bilateral relationship, the challenge is how to reframe discussions about Russia, West Asia, and post-Brexit trade to suit the new White House.

China
 

Trump has been hostile to China. He once said that China can destroy the US just by devaluing its currency. On one important issue, China stands to gain no matter who is elected. If Barack Obama is unable to secure passage of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the trade pact that excludes China, Clinton and Trump have both vowed to kill it

Europe
 

Europeans have more reasons to support Hillary. Trump has accused them that they count on the US military spending for their security. A Trump administration will ask the Europeans to search deep in their pockets for NATO’s needs.

India
 

Clinton enjoys a good reputation among the sections of Indian-American community, especially the younger generation. But Trump’s recent efforts to attract the Indian-American community have paid off. The Indian government and strategists appear less concerned about who wins. 

Saudi Arabia
 

In Saudi Arabia, the prospect of Trump as President is viewed with alarm. His proposal to ban Muslims from the US was accompanied by calls for Riyadh to pay for US military protection. A second Clinton presidency would sit more easily with the dynastic Gulf monarchies, who have donated millions of dollars to the Clinton foundation.

Sources: The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, CNN