BEIJING, July 2. /TASS/. Relations between Beijing and Washington may deteriorate in the run up to the US presidential election, a Chinese political scientist said at a press briefing ahead of the 12th Beijing World Peace Forum, adding that he expects no post-election thaw either.

Yan Xuetong, dean of the Institute of International Relations at Tsinghua University, sees a greater chance of Chinese-US relations worsening in the next year as opposed to any improvement. This, he argues, is because the person at the White House top post has to show his commitment to the US policy on China and the newly elected president will have to show the same commitment upon election.

"No matter who wins the election, there will be no U-turn in the US policy toward Taiwan. This means that nothing will outperform our expectations," the expert said.

Yan recounted that the United States has increased its support of forces pushing for Taiwan’s independence since 1992 when Washington broke its promise to China and resumed weapons supplies to the island.

Taiwan has been governed by its own administration since 1949, when the remnants of the Kuomintang forces led by Chiang Kai-shek (1887-1975) fled there after their defeat in the Chinese Civil War. Beijing considers Taiwan a province of the People’s Republic of China. While recognizing the One China policy, the US continues to maintain contact with the Taipei administration and provide weapons to the island.