Despite the nasty trade wars and the recent Huawei ban that is going on, I still think that Trump is the best thing to China since Nixon. Let me explain. One glaring thing about the Huawei ban is that other countries didn’t join on it, instead there’s more of the wait-and-see attitude. Thanks to Trump’s America First policy, he has essentially abandoned America’s leadership in the world, and some of the leadership has been taken over by China. Trump trade wars is not just going after China, but to many of its allies as well. Even when Trump’s nuclear option to start banning Chinese companies to do business in the US, Wall Street did not react thinking that Trump would make some kind of deal by the end of this year. This is more like a negotiation tactic to get favorable concessions from China instead of outright destroying China.
Before Trump, many people within China has high regards to the US and its place in the world. I think Xi’s message to its people about the Long March is a mission is to displace the US because they are no longer a competent global hegemon. The Chinese with its self-determination no longer rely on the US for support. Thanks to its China’s belt and road policy, other non-western countries will be more favorable to China than the US and looks to China for leadership.
I believe that either a Republican or Democratic president will be elected, both of them will be anti-China. Let’s say that Hillary Clinton had won the presidency instead of Trump. The TPP will be enacted against China. Clinton would probably make up some excuse to restrict Chinese companies like Huawei anyways, but the US will get support of other countries also. Many see China’s rise is a threat, but I think US’ decline is a bigger threat than China’s rise and we are seeing that this is being played out.
N.M.Cheung says
I agree with you to some extent. I think China has been complacent with partnering with U.S., which can be reflected in the student population studying in U.S. and the liberal intelligentsia. Now with Trump’s xenophobia on excluding foreign scholar exchanges and more restriction on students coming to U.S., the blame will be on U.S. rather than China. The restriction on Huawei and technology will temporarily damage China, but will spurt China to self sufficiency and long term more healthy. The decoupling maybe a little early but inevitable.
pug_ster says
I don’t agree with you that China has been complacent with partnering with the US because it can be used as a double edged sword. If the Chinese don’t want to partner with the US, the US can say that the Chinese are paranoid and racist. In this case, it was the Trump and its government who has shown what Ugly American truly is, the Chinese can say “see, we tried to work with the US but we were the ones who were pushed away.” This is what Ren Zhengfei said about working with the US, he even mentions that he is thankful for working with the US companies because Huawei would not be are today if they had not worked with the US companies.
With Trump’s crazy policies towards Huawei, the western media couldn’t pinpoint on why they are banned. Mostly, on Trump’s confusion message towards to ban Huawei because of security, deficit, trade talks. Mostly it was a cheap shot towards a Chinese company who follows the rules.
Like I said, Trump is the best thing to China since Nixon, because he signifies America’s downfall. Years from now, I think many historians will see this as an inflection point where China is no longer dependent on the US anymore.
Allen says
pug_ster, Trump is the best thing because he now owns “Made in China 2025.” “Made in China 2025” – meant to incentive Chinese companies (and foreign companies to partner with Chinese companies) to develop top-notch tech in China – was attacked and demonized by the U.S. even though what China was doing was no different than what Western countries (most notably Germany recently) did.
China had to backtrack and its leaders even seen to refrain from the term “Made in China 2025” in its top meetings. But with the Huawei ban, the Chinese now legitimately has a “shield” to do precisely what it could not comfortably do under Western scrutiny. Now a target of sanctions, China legitimately has the right to engage in “Made in China 2025”. So Mr. Trump, Thank You, Thank You, Thank You. Some people like to think the “war on terror” has provided a cover for China to develop, well, so will America’s sanctions!
searcheur says
Trump’s also convenient in that he stalls for time to the anti-China hawks, he messes up the US economy possibly messing up other large competitors too, and his administration probably makes the silent majority of smart people in this world (no matter the wealth class) realize how deceitful, dumb, and useless the anti-China side largely if not mostly is.