As US President Joe Biden on Monday signed an executive order to encourage the federal government to enhance purchase of American-made products and services, China is keeping a close watch. Essentially the move signifies that Biden is unlikely to deviate from the line taken by the previous Donald Trump administration.

The move is expected to bolster the US economy and jobs that have been impacted by the Covid 19 pandemic.

The Chinese state-owned media network Global Times said that the move is unlikely to impact the dragon in any big way.

“The Trump and Biden administrations had the same of goal of boosting local manufacturing but with different methods, with Biden tending to strengthen supervision on government purchasing of US goods, while Trump focusing on increasing tariffs on overseas imports. For the latter, companies found ways to seek loopholes such as shifting manufacturing bases in overseas markets. For the former, I think the effects would be more effective, because companies will seek to protect their reputation as the government will publicize waivers,” Global times quoted Gao Lingyun, an expert from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences a saying.

Biden while campaigning for the top post, had pushed for a $700 billion Buy American project.

Earlier, secretary for state Antony Blinken in the newly inducted Biden administration even endorsed Trump’s China policy saying that China is seeking to become the dominant world power.

China, which is getting more and more isolated globally, is looking to rebuild its relations with other countries including the US.

Last week, Hua Chunying, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman said at a press briefing that despite differences between the two countries, there is room for cooperation.

"I think the new administration should serve the wishes of the people, view China in a rational and objective light, and work with China on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit to put China-US relations back on the track of healthy and stable development as soon as possible,” she said.

Notably, just before exiting, the Trump administration declared that the Chinese government repression of the Uighurs in Xinjiang was an act of genocide.