China and Trump
Beijing congratulates Trump, but it remains vigilant on moves in Pacific
Trump is unknown to China, and as such the Chinese leadership doesn't grant him with appraisal. Beijing has showed its ability to discuss with every president or regime though, and it will not hesitate to find a communication channel with Trump's administration too.
China and the President of Popular Republic of China Xi Jinping congratulated with the new White House tenant Donald Trump, with the hope that relationships between the Countries could have a positive outcome, both for China and the US, and the rest of the world.
Behind the customary ceremonial, though, hide relevant concerns and reflections from China. But not only.
Trump’s position on Asia, for instance, it’s complex and not easily summarized by the forecasted isolationist tactics of the new American president.
There are two main arguments: Beijing is pondering the advantages and disadvantages of the Trump’s presidency, weighing the internal to the US Democratic collapse. Thus confirming China’s doubts on western democracies.
The tycoon’s victory also would confirm Chinese thinking which criticizes elitarianism of the US media and society. Now that Trump shooked up the political landscape, one could think that China has had its gratification.
Obviously though, these considerations aren’t enough to for the Communist Party executives. Trump is unknown to China, and as such the Chinese leadership doesn’t grant him with appraisal. Beijing has showed its ability to discuss with every president or regime though, and it will not hesitate to find a communication channel with Trump’s administration too.
At that point only they could find out the real intentions of America’s new President, and how they would find a different style interlocutor than Hillary.
There are discussions going on: as confirmed by a source within Trump’s advisors, the billionaire bets a lot on Asia, and especially on expanding naval availabilities.
Contrary to the alleged isolationist politics, Trump reckons the importance of the Pacific area for the American commercial routes, and it looks like he intends to defend them.
The Chinese probably read the Republican Platform on Asia, and the article published by two Trump advisors – Alexander Gray and Peter Navarro – the night before the elections on Foreign Policy, in which they present the tycoon’s foreign policy with a clear reference to Asia.
They say in the first place: “Trump will never trade American national interests for foreign policy ones”; in other words, Trump won’t repeat the error of letting China into WTO.
In the second place, “Trump will pursue a foreign policy in which the Pacific strategy must derive from the use of force”, just like for Reagan.
The US marine will have a clear scope: defending the 5,000 billion dollars made from naval commercial trades in Asia.
For China this isn’t great news. The initial idea looked more like the following: Trump’s presidency would have pushed many Countries in Asia to prefer a stable but unpleasant Chinese protection position. A protection from Trump’s unpredictability.
The more time goes on, the more Trump isn’t demonstrating much unpredictability.
The commercial front stays open nonetheless: Trump has made several pronouncements against Chinese exports, threatening clamours changes and new duties.
The Chinese leaders didn’t express themselves yet. Nothing will change before at least mid-2017, it will make time to understand which kind of America they will have in front of them.
Originally published at http://ilmanifesto.info/pechino-si-congratula-con-trump-ma-rimane-in-allerta-per-le-mosse-nel-pacifico/ on 2016-11-10