As a snub, the Chinese once forced President Obama to leave Air Force One via “the ass of the plane“, upon arrival in China
After his phone call with the Taiwanese President, one wonders if President Trump may have to make his first entrance into China via even more precarious means…
* Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist and member of the Liberal Democrat Voice team. He blogs at Liberal Burblings.
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9 Comments
Easier to guess the results of the next general election from a recent by election than to tell what Trump’s foreign policy towards China and Taiwan will be. However, if he keeps to his rhetoric, he will recognise Taiwan and seek to curtail US trade with China, so as to repatriate jobs. Offending the Chinese could be the first step in engineering sanctions against China.
Some of the news reports from China, suggesting that perhaps being new to the job he made a mistake, might posibly be meant as an olive branch, but sound more like an attack on his competence. I don’t think he would take that well.
Trumps policy is in essence a trade war. Particularly against countries such as China, less so perhaps against nations like the UK. But only because we are unlikely to be attracting US companies here because of our cheap labour or other unfair competition. Conservative proposals to slash corporation taxes to attract industry might not go down well.
So the Uk is proposing to embark on free trade on open market terms, into the midst of a trade war.
I support Trump’s phone call with the Taiwanese president. We need to support Hong Kong, Taiwan, Tibet and all those who want democracy (through peaceful means).
China may be big, but the US and Europe combined is much bigger and you can’t keep a lid on basic freedoms.
To be fair to Trump the one China policy is a total nonsense, when the USA clearly supports Taiwan including militarily.
At the LI in Iceland the Taiwanese Democratic Party bought us all a free lunch. Lack of international recognition made travelling difficult, etc.
I inclined to agree with Eddie Sammon, we should be standing up to China – Cameron et al were fools in bowing to China’s dictate about meeting the Dalai Lama and not pushing for Chinese withdrawal from Tibet.
I think in this respect Trump is actually going to be very interesting, as not having a ‘traditional’ political background, he effectively can tread on political toes and put noses out of joint – a bit like Regan did with the Soviets… The question is whether Trump and his advisors are as astute…
We should also remember that because of shortsightedness(?) in the UK defence planning, we don’t now really have a capability to join the Americans in the policing of the south China sea’s and so challenge the Chinese military build up and annexation of lands and territory claims. Which will give us (the UK) a problem because it is highly likely that we will be called upon to support the US in this high stakes stand-off. [Aside: those that oppose Trident etc. should bear in mind that part of the cost of Trident is effectively a contribution what the US is doing for us in the China sea and Pacific.]
Well I suppose trump will need to find new manufacturers for the products he currently has made in China… this will have a Yuge impact on his business, okay, Yuge.
I agree with those who support Taiwan , it has a new and terrific female Liberal leader !
We should be standing up to China because it`s a big bully and they are not the King of the world.
Screw that Democracy thing, USA doesn`t even believe in it, it`s hypocrite trying to lecture China on that when we cannot have real Democracy and Human Rights at Home.
Bringing back jobs in America wouldn`t hurt and I could care less if stuff are no longer Made in China.
Not my problem.
The US and China had settled into an agree-to-disagree policy on Taiwan. The US accepts that Taiwan is part of China, but at the same time protects it militarily. This looks odd in the extreme, but it’s just about acceptable to both superpowers. Appearances are important to China. By sticking to the previous policy, the US would continue to protect Taiwanese democracy but leave open the possibility of later reunification. By abandoning the compromise, the US makes Taiwan no safer and may well provoke a cold war with China.