'Arrogant' US is just a 'shooting star in the ample sky of history,' says Chinese state media

Statement comes as Robert Lighthizer, who has called for a more aggressive approach to dealing with China, is appointed as Mr Trump's trade representative

Chinese state media says Mr Trump is "just fixated on trade" (AFP/Getty Images)

Chinese state media has said the US is “just a shooting star in the ample sky of history”, in an editorial warning Donald Trump “not to boss China around” on economic and security issues.

The Global Times newspaper, which is backed by the ruling Communist Party, took the strong line on Wednesday, shortly after the President-elect announced the appointment of a second outspoken critic of China to his trade team.

Robert Lighthizer, who has condemned the east Asian country for failing to abide by international trade agreements in the past, will be America’s next chief trade negotiator, the President-elect said on Tuesday.

The 69-year-old has previously advocated for higher trade tariffs and called for tougher methods to “change the system”. His appointment is seen as part of Mr Trump’s plan to up-end US trade policy.

But according to China, the US has had its moment and the President-elect's actions may not matter much in the future.

“May the arrogant Americans realise that the United States of America is perhaps just a shooting star in the ample sky of history,” the paper said, adding that Mr Trump appears to be "fixated" on trade, in a dismissive response to his latest appointment.

Last month, the President-elect appointed Peter Navarro to lead a new presidential office for US trade and industrial policy. Mr Navarro has previously described China’s government as a “despicable, parasitic, brutal, brass-knuckled, crass, callous, amoral, ruthless and totally totalitarian imperialist power”.

Mr Lighthizer, a former Reagan-era trade official, who once travelled the world negotiating deals to curb steel imports, is not at outspoken as Mr Navarro, but has expressed a similar belief that China's economic policies are fundamentally flawed.

The trade lawyer once wrote: “Going forward, US policymakers should take these problems more seriously, and should take a much more aggressive approach in dealing with China.”

Mr Trump said Mr Lighthizer would “fight for good trade deals that put the American worker first”.

He added: “He will do an amazing job helping turn around the failed trade policies which have robbed so many Americans of prosperit."

With Mr Navarro and Mr Lighthizer in important roles, Mr Trump’s trade team is predisposed to be extremely hostile to China.

Louis Kuijs, the head of Asia economics at Oxford Economics and a former senior China economist at the World Bank, told the Guardian he expected Mr Trump’s policies to treat the rival superpower particularly harshly.

“There is almost no guessing, economic policy under Trump will become more nationalistic and more interventionist," he said. "It’s very clear their policies will be especially tough on China."