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The broader difficulty is that America’s allies fear that the Trump administration’s goal is not to compel China to follow international rules — an aim they would support — but to destroy the rules. The allies know that the White House has pulled the US out of the Paris climate accord, the Iran nuclear deal and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and is deliberately hobbling both the World Trade Organization and the World Health Organization. They remember that the president has threatened to impose tariffs on Germany and Japan — and has expressed scepticism about Nato and hostility towards the EU. They also know that Mr Trump is up for re-election in November, and suspect his motives in going after China now.
The broader difficulty is that America’s allies fear that the Trump administration’s goal is not to compel China to follow international rules — an aim they would support — but to destroy the rules. The allies know that the White House has pulled the US out of the Paris climate accord, the Iran nuclear deal and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and is deliberately hobbling both the World Trade Organization and the World Health Organization. They remember that the president has threatened to impose tariffs on Germany and Japan — and has expressed scepticism about Nato and hostility towards the EU. They also know that Mr Trump is up for re-election in November, and suspect his motives in going after China now.
The sad truth is that America’s allies in Europe and Asia are also
angered by Beijing’s behaviour. They simply do not trust the Trump
administration’s leadership in countering it.
The previous Adminstration and Hilary Clinton held that Russia is a bigger threat than china. The current adminstration hold that China is a bigger threat than Russia. It is perhaps a case of better the devil you know - Russia has been cold war enemy for 70 years, whereas China is relatively new on the world scene.
ReplyDeleteIt could be that ultimately. Russia will form an allaince with the West to counter the superpower China.