Sunday, December 11, 2016

China - Prevent 'immature' Trump being manipulated by conservative forces: analyst

 





            ‘His knowledge on Sino-US ties superficial’


A Chinese analyst urged China to make US president-elect understand the importance and complexity of Sino-US ties and prevent him from being manipulated by some conservative forces after Trump questioned whether the US should continue its "one-China policy" Sunday unless Beijing makes concessions on trade and other issues.

"I don't want China dictating to me," Trump said as he made a vehement defense of his recent phone conversation with the Taiwan leader.

"I don't know why we have to be bound by a one-China policy unless we make a deal with China having to do with other things, including trade," he added in the interview on Fox News Sunday.

He was responding to a question on his taking that call this month from Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen, breaking with decades of US diplomatic tradition that recognizes Beijing as the sole representative of China.

Trump said he had just a couple of hours' notice that the call was coming, not weeks or longer as has been reported.

Besides trade, Trump said China was not cooperating with America on its handling of its currency, on North Korea and its nuclear weapons, or on tensions in the South China Sea, where he said China is building "a massive fortress." 

Trump said it would have been disrespectful not to take the call from Tsai, who he said wanted to congratulate him on his election win.

Li Haidong, professor of China Foreign Affairs University, attributes Trump's comments to his inexperience. "Trump is a novice at dealing with diplomatic and international relations issues," Li said, "He is inexperienced in sensitive and complicated issues except for business and trade. His knowledge about Sino-US relations, particularly the Taiwan question, is very superficial, which gives him the nerve to say whatever he likes."

"As a businessman, he thinks it's quite normal to do business, but he hasn't realized that the Taiwan question is not a business to China. The Taiwan question is not negotiable," Li added.

Li doesn't believe Trump has a plan to challenge the one-China policy by making such comments. 

"It's still too early to come to that conclusion," Li said, adding "these ideas may come from some of his conservative consultants, not necessarily from him."

"His focus is on domestic issues such as the economy and employment, so perhaps he doesn't think very deeply about diplomatic issues," Li said, "in addition, Trump is highly unpredictable. Many of his remarks have shocked the American elites, but he's very fickle as well, he may eat his words sometime soon. "

Li said the mainstream of the US society are very clear about their China policies, of which the one-China policy is the core and the cornerstone. "Diplomatically, Trump is still immature, so we need to point out to him how serious the problem is and exert pressure on him."

"We should make him understand the importance and complexity of Sino-US ties and prevent him from being manipulated by some conservative forces," Li added.

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