XI and Putin are living Trump's dream. Trump wants to be like them - a single authoritarian "great man" whose words become law, whose thoughts become universal philosopical principles, who oversees his people rising to great status and power over the rest of the world.
This is what motivates Trump, and this explains his great respect, even reverence for men like Xi and Putin.
He wants to counter Chinese imperialist influence not with American liberalism and democracy, but with an even stronger "one-man show" based authoritarianism than even they have achieved.
People like Bannon and Spencer are using Trump to achieve what they see as an authoritarian, white race dominated US based imperialism.
Charles koch also holds these values, but beyond that seeks to restore a golden age of Koch domination of the energy sector the way his father had under Stalin and Hitler. It is not lost at all on Charlesd Koch that his father Fred's economic empire was forged in Stalinist Russia and Hitler's Germany.
An authoritarian America that cares not about the effects of industrialization on his citizens or the environment whould be very, very profitable business for Charles Koch.
That's the agenda on the ascendent in this country.
27
If China has Trump, please, please 请, [Qǐng] keep him. Preferably locked up.
With my sincere sympathy for his co-prisoners in a Chinese prison.
12
Trump is steering the world away from cooperation and multilateralism to bilateralism and America First leaving the century open to China’s centralized way of multilateralsm.
In a dozen years China will also gain monetary dominance, so that the shaky Bretton Woods system will gradually be replaced by a Chinese-controlled new global governance system the early characteristics are becoming clear in the BRICS developments.
Perhaps China and its sphere of influence can start thinking about transforming the present unjust, unsustainable and, therefore, unstable international monetary system by orienting global governance towards a carbon-based international monetary system with its standard of a specific tonnage of CO2e per person. The conceptual, institutional, ethical and strategic dimensions of such monetary system are presented in Verhagen 2012 "The Tierra Solution: Resolving the climate crisis through monetary transformation" and updated at www.timun.net. One of the world’s outstanding environmentalists made the following statement about the system: “The further into the global warming area we go, the more physics and politics narrows our possible paths of action. Here’s a very cogent and well-argued account of one of the remaining possibilities.” Bill McKibben, May 17, 2011
6
They say there is a sucker born every minute. And Trump is the latest one. And we cannot blame China for Trump wanting to get his nose brown.
4
I have been closely following the NYT columnists over the last 16 years.
Who has played the football professionally here, them or the NFL players?
It started right after the 9/11/2001.
We were attacked by the wahhabi Arabs from our regional allied states , but we invaded Afghanistan, a non-Arab country.
For God's sake, we could not have publically admitted that our foreign policy failed us so we started the wrongful wars against the countries without the terrorists.
All other columns have perfectly fitted this pattern ever since...
If you tried to extend a friendly hand to them, they would spit in it...
I beg to differ on your thinking Trump can think about 'next' week.
He can not help trying to prove all the facts of last week are wrong.
In the same manner he can not accept an America among equals.
He can only see the world as himself shoving himself first in front of the cameras.
10
Ukraine begs the U.S. for help with Russia.
The U.S. begs China for help with North Korea.
We know what happened to Ukraine. China know it.
2
Wait wait- what's Trump's 33-minute plan? Oh right, America First!! "Policy" that could be better stated by any six year old, the age at which you learn that art of the deal.
2
Not stating anything new here but Trump is fool who is likely to start a war and cause more chaos around the world as he stumbles around with great brain. God help us.
6
Trump is no match for world leaders; this is becoming more and more obvious
to the general world public.....hence simply the result is "pomp and circumstance"......world leaders are simply going "through the motions" for
Trump's "parade"....and I imagine are actually paying attention to Secretary of
State Tillerson instead.
2
Trump’s capabilities in this regard certainly pale in comparison to Xi’s; but so would those of any US president. XI is Chairman/CEO For Life of China, Inc. with all 1.4B shareholders solidly behind him (willingly or not).
5
I don't know how Xi sounds in Chinese, but translated into English he sounds a lot like Trump: one mortal man making grandiose predictions about a future he only thinks he controls. We'll see how China turns out, but Xi's MACA claims are so much hot air for now.
"If China is money and investment, the United States is security and freedom."
Not good. Never bet against human greed which as been around since time immemorial.
The vast majority of Chinese are fine getting money with no freedom. And America is insane with capitalism, which is why we elected Trump.
I'm not feeling so secure or so free.
6
Trump is so vainglorious that he doesn't even realize he's a puppet. He is brash when called on to be brash - to keep the minions enthralled who need to see that type of behavior to get some kind of a rush or a fix, maybe brought on by too many violent movies or constant inert victimization. And he rolls over whenever a country with a smart leader that will benefit when we pull back from past powerful stances. I don't know who is manipulating him and our Congress and Senate, but they're doing a good job. Today's leaders couldn't think their way out of a paperbag. Trump's behavior in Asia, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Europe has been very telling. I don't want us to be a military puppet, acting as the stupid strong man for whichever country or person doesn't want to get their own hands dirty but wants destruction wrought some place in the world. I fear that's what we will become - and paid for with our citizens' blood and treasure.
7
One thing is certain that Trump will fall in Saudi trap and start a conflict to bring in Iran, Israel also has an obsession with Iran. The question is if Iran will be smart enough to avoid this renewed Shia Sunni conflict. If a war starts it is sure to go on for a century
6
I applaud China for the amazing transformation of their country in the last forty years. The Chinese people have benefitted greatly. It is a mistake to call China Imperialistic. An Imperialistic country believes that their way of life should be the standard for the rest of the world. What country, not contiguous to theirs has China waged war upon and what country's does China occupy with military bases and troops that wage clandestine wars against their people. What country in Asia, in South America, In Europe, in the Pacific has Chinese Military bases. China has suffered mightily from Imperialism, the kind that used, and still does gun-boat diplomacy. I don't remember China threatening a Nuclear War if if it doesn't get its way. I don't remember hearing China say, the only one we care about is China, the rest of you have to kow-tow. Who made the rule that Democracy must be adopted world-wide? Who indeed! The greatest Imperialistic power the world has ever seen.
5
China has grown more powerful by being able to plan for the next 25, 50 and 100 years. They gain technology through forced deals with American companies eager for access to their immense market. The technology has both consumer and military applications. Manipulation of currency has enabled them to export their goods and services, achieving huge currency surpluses which are reinvested to extend their influence. Meanwhile the US under DT retreats from the world order which we so assiduously cultivated. Adding insult to injury, DT praises China's Xi Jinping. "America First" is a retreat from everything this country has stood for. So far there has been no gain for America, we're becoming a second class country abroad and there has been no commensurate gain for us domestically. His "America First" domestic policy has also been the abandonment of most of the social policies which have elevated our society with no alternative improvements.
2
Not in recent history have the the Russians and the Chinese had so much in common: Donald Trump serves both of these countries that have been in contentious opposition for decades. Trump is the GOP's gift to those who want the US to remain in a state of chaos. Trump is Putin's stooge (witness the latest mutual Trump/Putin admiration society) and the Chinese are delighted. Greed before national security: that is the Republican creed.
9
Pulling out of the TPP and the Paris climate accord were two of Trump's greatest foreign policy follies. Basically, he ceded world leadership to China's Xi -- and followed up with the amazing assertion that he didn't blame China for taking advantage of the United States because we deserved it. Where are the gasps of shock and condemnation from the GOP?
14
Among the reasonable charges against Hillary Clinton was her cynical rejection of TPP, which was designed to strengthen our relations with the countries around China and to put some checks on China.
Yes, Bernie Sanders attacked it as well. But she knew better, and knew what was in the Pact, and one wonders if he does.
Of all Trump's lousinesses, though, this one will probably stick with us longest. It's not just that he's told China to go right on ahead; it's that he's told all the other countries, many of which have been enemies for centuries, to go right on ahead and gun up.
So at best, we end up with a successful Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere. At worst...
2
Imagine how China will benefit from 7 more years of a rudderless United States with no leadership or direction other than retreat from the world stage.
That is truly frightening.
7
America was certainly in decline before Trump, but we had the hope that even in a diminished state it had enough allies and enough soft power to sustain leadership over a liberal world order despite the rise of China. But future generations will look upon this past week as the turning point where America willingly and irretrievably surrendered its global leadership. Xi JinPing and the Chinese leadership must be ecstatic. They hosted the American President big league, and seeing Xi and Trump together on the world's stage, there could be no doubt in anyone's mind who owns the future.
4
Let's not forget who and what has made China the Superpower it is today. It was American corporations and their greed which seceded power to China. And they had the blessing of our elected officials.
America wanted cheap labor and cheap products and less regulation. And they were thrilled to give up anything to line their pockets. They moved the factories and layed off Americans. They gave away patents and technological property for a quick buck. The Walton Family gets all their cheap goods made in China and have American employees relying on the dole.the Kushner family is selling visas in exchange for the Chinese buying their failing properties. Ivanka Trump was able to finagle a deal with China at a State dinner.
This country is so greedy (as apparent of the newest tax plan) and completely unable to see long term that China has been able to toy with us like a cat and mouse.
America wasn't just about the idea anyone can come here and make a living comparable to how hard they work. It was also a country of laws and freedoms that are being steadily eroded by the Rep party and Big everything.
We had something that was beyond value and was supposed to be never on sale and that was the American idea. It was worth more than anything tangible.
7
China has been playing the long game way before Xi. I was there in 1980 for 8 weeks, on a dept. of commerce technology seminar tour. Among the luminaries at our government guest house was the Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs and his family. China was lining up to take the major share of their oil output, well before it was needed. Made for interesting breakfast conversation.
As for TPP and NAFTA, Trump's ignorance will do lasting harm to our foreign relations.
3
Not quite right. China would not logically want a South Korea or a Japan, which both have the technical expertise and spent uranium power plant fuel from which plutonium can be purified to develop their own nuclear tipped missiles if and when they think that nuclear armed North Korean missile threaten all of the United States raising doubts of their own protection under the US nuclear umbrella. Even a unified friendly and democratic Korea without nukes would be far preferable.
Trump has done everything in his feeble mind to undermine American ideals and forfeit our leadership socially and economically. Perhaps the consequences of his errors will become apparent to his base of haters, but I would not bet on it. His confusing and contradictory statements, his withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord, TPP and NAFTA, among other programs and agreements are a crystal clear statement that the US is in a hasty retreat from global engagement and leadership. How can he not see that he is on the wrong side of history? His embrace of dictators who have no regard for human rights is disgraceful, as was his praise of China's trade surplus with the US. To witness him deliberately dismantle our country's ideals and institutions is truly saddening.
Trump's nihilism and elitism was soundly rejected in Tuesday's elections and we can all vote to continue the reversal of this nightmarish chapter in our country's history. Beyond that, we trust that Mueller or his replacement after Trump fires him will get justice for America.
3
Sadly, Trump is proving on a daily basis that he is clueless. He stumbles around like a blind man in the fog without a sense of direction.
No surprise that pros like Putin and Xi are happy to play to his vanity while they pursue their long term strategic goals. Trump's amateurish fumbling in global politics gives them a great opening to advance their own long term goals. Amazingly, he does not comprehend that he is losing big time.
Hopefully, there will an era of rebuilding after the Trump/Pence administration will come to an end. The sooner this will happen the better for America and its allies. The most recent state elections are a glimmer of hope.
4
Mr, Xi is too pessimistic regarding the transition to Chinese leadership. Trump has handed China global leadership on a platter during his presidency. Since DAVOS, Xi has emphasized China's growing ambition and influence in world affairs, both political and economic. In the mean time, by muddling his messages to the world and offending almost everyone, Trump has diminished the credibility and authority of the US. Who knows what it will take to tip the balance back, if it can (or should) be done at all? The next US president will have to work overtime to reestablish a measure of respect for American leadership that has been squandered in a few short months.
We spend an inordinate amount of money on the Defense department. And our entire DoD is more than just 4 military branches. It is girded by a massive support structure of civilians in logistics, contracting, and admin. Speaking of contracting, much of that budget pays private firms, to build planes, tanks, bombs, computer systems and applications, telecommunications, housing, infrastructure, etc. Soldiers don't do this. Now consider that we have a presence in just about every corner of the world. So not only are we an omni presence around the globe, we are missing the opportunity to spend our resources in areas that will actually lift people up, education for one. Our spending level on defense is obscene.
Roger Cohen mentioned that "there could scarcely be a more explicit offer of China as an alternative, single-party, authoritarian model to the liberal democratic system of the United States."
But it is evident here in the states that the Republican Party also wants a single-party, illiberal authoritarian society. The difference is that the Chinese are being patriotic, while the Republicans simply want a maximally extractive economy.
10
One need not be a foreign policy expert to see this situation developing. One only need to pay attention to world events. What a time to have a non-president like Trump at the helm. It will take years to repair the damage he has wrought if it can be repaired at all.
23
Mr. Trump is being played by Russia and China as only a narcissist can be played. He thinks their shared inclination for autocracy and self enrichment unites them in a fraternal compact in which we'll amiably divide up the world like Spain and Portugal did in the 1500's. They will play for time and then it will be too late. He knows nothing of politics or history, so let's hope our Congress and courts do.
2
Our leaders see China as a threat to American dominance in Asia and believe war is the only option. Chinese leaders see us as a threat to their ambitions but they don’t see war as the only option. Unlike the Soviet Union during the Cold War, the Chinese prefer to wage war against in the economic front. While we try to strengthen our alliances and spent billions on the military, they try to open new markets in other countries and spent billions on improving their economy. They appear to be following the advice of one of their ancient strategists Sun Tzu who wrote that waging wars can quickly exhaust the state‘s resources and the ultimate aim in the art of war is to exhaust and defeat the enemy without fighting. So yes, China has us where it wants since 2001. Trump just made it a lot easier.
13
I keep recalling the Oscar winning Orson Welles narrated animated short Is it right to always be right and read Roger Cohen in the NYT and Tony Burman in the Toronto Star on a very cold but beautiful Saturday morning.
I cannot imagine two op-ed writers whose insight and analysis I agree with as often but it is the eleventh day of the eleventh month and I am entitled to say Donald Trump won in Beijing and what China won was an opportunity to self destruct much as the USSR and now the USA are now self destructing.
I am thinking of the 2005 book by former oil executive, historian , philosopher and public intellectual John Ralston Saul titled The Collapse of Globalism and the Reinvention of the World. It is a new world and for the want of a better analogy only Donald Trump could master the art of being thrown into the brier patch from where he could watch China wrestle with the problems of being the world's economic superpower where a four hundred year old economic model model is collapsing.
While Cohen and Burman see Trump slinking away from Beijing like a beaten dog, I see America escaping a burden it could no longer carry. I have always viewed Reagan as the worst President ever and Trump not far behind but China having Donald Trump right where it wants him may put Trump right where he wants to be. Trump's followers may not like the brier patch but sometimes it is the best place to be.
Maybe Trump telling us how smart he is was a ruse and he really is as smart as he says.
2
You're actually argung that Trump's a genius for happily creating chaos among nuclear-armed countries in a global economy.
One suggests a little reading of history; the years right before World War One come immediately to mind.
2
But most of the time I think he is a clueless hornswoggling sociopath who managed to secure the most thankless most difficult job in the whole world. It is now a cold but beautiful Saturday afternoon and my heart goes out to a country I still love almost as much as my own and I am sick with worry for my children and grandchildren whose President is a frightened aging incompetent hornswoggling sociopath.
1
Trump is truly the manchild in a dangerous land---a reality show MC amongst smart, shrewd, worldly leaders, who, at private dinner parties or pillow talks with their wives see him as a total joke---but a bad joke for America and good joke for them.
9
I was waiting for this story...thank you Roger Cohen for noticing. Here it is in a nutshell.
The real story is growing Chinese strength, steady Chinese purpose aimed at midcentury dominance and erratic American outbursts suggestive of a petulant great power’s retreat.
10
This is the difference between a good politician and a so-so business executive … and why running the country like a business is a pathetically stupid idea. Trump is in it for the next quarter and can't focus much beyond yesterday's stock market movements. Xi is looking at the next 50 years and thinking globally. The business man is squandering precious assets and goodwill at an astounding pace, while the politician is patiently laying the foundations for long term institutional strength.
29
Most Foreign leaders have Donald Trump all figured out, and the Chinese are no exception. If they seat him on a golden throne and serve him a cheap, burnt t-bone on a golden plate, he will happily give away our electronics or auto industry.
41
For most of the past 2200+ years China has been a socioeconomic political educational scientific and technological superpower. The Central Middle Kingdom ruling with the Mandate of Heaven turned inward from the European barbarians half a millennia ago to it's regretful dismissive diminishment.
Xi Jinping is the first designated Chinese "core leader" since Deng Xiaoping and the first Chinese Communist Party leader since Mao Zedong whose "thoughts" are deemed worthy of study by CCP party members. Lacking only the Mandate of Heaven of a Chinese emperor, bucking tradition Mr. Xi did not designate a successor at the recently concluded CCP Congress to replace him in five years.
China is rising again with the #2 nominal GDP, with 20% of humanity and spending a third of America on it's military. China has focused on commerce and diplomacy in order to begin it's resurrection. China has no entangling military alliances and allies. Sitting atop a collective term-limited one party leadership with a socialist economy with Chinese characteristics aka capitalism, China is enabled to refute the notion that capitalism cannot exist without democracy.
Trump is the most ignorant, immature, incompetent, inexperienced, intemperate and insecure President in American history. A bloviating bullying barbarian buffoon who succumbs to flattery and wilts before a male foreign foe. The Chinese Dragon is eating the American Eagle. In Mandarin America is "Beautiful Country". Beauty is only skin deep.
46
Adjectives are the opposite of understanding.
" A bloviating bullying barbarian buffoon who succumbs to flattery and wilts before a male foreign foe."
Please!! We barbarians do not bloviate and bully nor do we succumb to flattery or wilt before a foe. No we storm the citadel and liberate it from tyranny.
Only self interested cheap con men bloviate, bully, fall for flattery and wilt before a foe.
2
Including for historically being a relatively "young" country, America has little-to-no sense of the "long view". Rapidly-increasing technology may overwhelm what little we have, or is left. We're also not very good at healing our penchant for self-inflicted wounds. Indeed, it wouldn't hurt our legacy if the whole country "took a knee".
7
Xi is the image of pragmatic power and a far reaching and productive vision. Progress and prosperity are central to the current Chinese model and their undeniable and considerable success.
By comparisonTrump is petty, fragmented, and dangerously incoherent. He has no credible vision other than some grandiose notion of an American retrenchment and his own manic self indulgence. After nearly a year in office there has not been one notable Trump driven achievement on behalf of America’s future.
22
Trump ceded Asian dominance to China when he cancelled the TPP. Containing Chinese influence over the next half-century is next to impossible at this point. US influence won't go away but we're now on the path to getting marginalized. Our western oriented allies might not buy Xi's dogma but China will eventually have the power to take what it can't buy. Cohen is right. The only thing that will fully interrupt the process now is a massive destabilization of the entire region.
I wouldn't put the possibility beyond Trump. He's notoriously erratic, extremely shortsighted, and not terribly bright. North Korea regime change is the Trump administration's obvious first choice. However, Trump cannot accomplish regime change without war and war means nuclear war. Even if Trump could effect a political collapse in North Korea, he has absolutely no plan to rebuild regionally stability after the fact. We'd find ourselves fighting a different kind of war with China in the wake of a leaderless state.
The US still has options. However, we're now working from a disadvantage because Trump torched years worth of strategy on day one. Unfortunately for us, these alternative strategies require an attention span longer than gnat. We're talking a 20 or 30 year effort at least. Trump doesn't have the self-discipline to achieve them. So we're left with a North Korean war or Chinese preeminence in Asia. Those are our options until we can get the amateur-in-chief away from international policy.
5
The United States long ago ceded power to China when our "profits first" economic system exported the manufacture of consumer goods to China. As a result the wealthy always have low prices and a legion of invisible unemployed was created.
American militarists talk about an inevitable war with China. We have already lost. As Saudi Arabia controls oil, China can deny the US of everything from computers to clothing. The US has forgotten how to manufacture low cost goods.
China relies on soft power, trade, economic aid, and investment, to convice neighbors to take actions favorable to itself. The United States relies on threats of violence to insure compliance. If you were the leader of a small Asian country, which would you prefer?
5
The purpose of the Trump’s Presidency, as intended by his international backers, is to remove America from world affairs. Russian took the Crimea, wait a little while to see what comes next. China has money, lots of money, it owns a lot of American debt, soon there will be even more debt for it to own.
China is expanding its influence throughout the world. For instance, it is funding the expansion of the largest port in West Africa in Namibia - has been for years. When we heard leaders of the islands devastated by hurricane Harvey talking about offers of aid, they mentioned a few and ended with: and of course China (we need to listen to the BBC to hear that kind of reality). China is leading the development of alternative energy technology, exporting solar panels to America; it is not a secret strategy, it boasts about it.
America retreats and the other players are moving, the most powerful nation in the world takes a break and builds a wall. America, first to retire.
12
"Trump likes surpluses, hates deficits"
Has anyone mentioned that to the people drafting the GOP tax plan?
5
Who knew how weak trump would be. No face to face negotiating skills. Zero long term planning ability. Refuses to surround himself with qualified diplomats.
Speaks loudly and carriers a small stick. Unable to play with the other leaders (except Putin - huh).
Who knew how weak trump could make America in only 10 months?
18
The overriding thought of Mr. Cohen and many of the letters below, seems to be that China is an evil force even though there is no evidence to support such a claim. China has stated that it has no interest in the affairs of sovereign states and has not meddled to my knowledge, unlike the US, Russia, Iran or Saudi Arabia. Nor does China support terrorist groups, shadowy banking, arm sales or drug running. Instead China seem intent on building a massive economy that is benefitting its people and raising the living standards for milions throughout the world. I suspect many small minded folks can't stand the idea of the US not being the sole top dog and throwing its weight around and thus belittle or besmirch China because it seems destined to sidle up along side us. China is going to be a massive economic power for sure, and it is doubtful it will need much of a military to hold sway over miscreants. That is the wave of the future and linking up with Xi now would seem to be a better idea than the mess we created in 1945 when the last chance presented itself.
4
Don't blame the messenger. US comes to this point because: (1) The design of checks and balances might be a good idea back then but it can paralyze governing due to divisions. (2) Most voters only care about their own tax cuts and some other superficial/red meat issues such as abortion, gun ownership and "religious freedoms". Seriously, are these real issues or merely fake issues created by politicians to win votes? For example, this country has the most guns. So why is gun ownership still a concern? (3) Democracy has different forms and I would argue Chinese has been practicing democracy for thousands of years. If a government/dynasty does not serve its people well, it will be replaced ultimately. CCP will collapse if it doesn't fix the problems of corruptions and pollution. I would also argue that the Chinese system can be better because most voters are unsophisticated and they tend to vote against their own long term interests.
Finally, someone realized that what's happening is not merely a competition between two nations. It is a competition between two different ways of practicing democracy. The whole world is watching. Yes, Trump is merely an accident/incident. In fact, we/US are so lucky to have Trump. I embrace Trump from the different side and for a different reason. Trump is a mirror. It's time to look at the mirror for both Democrats and Republicans. Trumpism is unavoidable in the era of retail democracy. You are not innocent!
2
Translation: let's get ourselves a Fuehrer.
2
Roger Cohen's insightful article could be a "State of the Union" address, the one most American's don't want to hear.
1
The Art of the Deal in China:
President Xi Jinping: Oh my, you are so pretty and so very smart.
President Donald Trump: You can have Hawaii if you like.
3
China is a single-party, authoritarian system.
America, as fractured and dysfunctional as it is, has the freedom to make mistakes.
This gives America the capacity to adapt. Already, we are seeing adjustments to American power --with elections. Elections.
Will government of the people, by the people, for the people Pershing's from the earth?
The China way is a regression --centralized power and control -- like Empires, and Dynasties.
What protects the Chinese people from the corruption of those with power? Not elections.
It's a match of two presidents. China won the second run.
In the first round at Mar-a-logo, President Xi was tentative. He was not prepared to deal with a President Trump. So, it was a draw.
They went back and thought hard. Mr Trump was a real estate developer. He used to curry favor with politicians for his projects. He is an ego. He is lavish. Mr Xi met with three generations of his family. The family is business orientated.
Every Communist knows about "struggle". The individual struggles, the party and the country have to struggle too. They know that there is a struggle going on with America all the time. While western scholars talk about Thucydides trap, Chinese talk about asymmetric warfare, to win the war without fighting.
So, to soothe Mr Trump's ego, he is pampered with lavish ceremony. They helped with his family business. For a role reversal, the most powerful man in the most populous country pretends to curry favor with Mr Trump. President Xi won over President Trump. This asymmetric warfare at its best, winning over the enemy without firing a bullet or even a show of force.
Mr Xi is a shrew tactician. He was an inconspicuous provincial hand without much achievement. He strictly obeys the rule of the party. He won his top position by doing nothing. This is a kind of asymmetric warfare - the fisherman picked up the clam and bird when they struggled with each other. A story known to every Chinese primary student of all ages.
4
Trump's old tired slogans were all he had. There was and is no substance to his rhetoric. Naturally China or the EU or some country or group if countries would step into the void. Foreign policy experts from all sides of the political spectrum warned us about Trump.
Now that we see what is happening on the world stage, it is imperative that we give control of Congress to the Democrats in 2018. Then, we need to vote Trump out of office in 2020, and pray that the world has not moved so far beyond us that it will be difficult to catch up.
We get the government we deserve.
China is a single-party, authoritarian system. America, as fractured and dysfunctional as it is, has the freedom to make mistakes. This gives America the capacity to adapt. Already, we are seeing adjustments to American power --with elections. Elections. Will government of the people, by the people, for the people perish from the earth? The China way is a regression --centralized power and control -- like Empires, and Dynasties. What protects the Chinese people from the corruption of those with power? Not elections.
Roger Cohen's analysis of Trump as opposed to Xi is convincing, and his judgments about China's vested interest in regional stability important.
But we should pause before mourning the future collapse of the United States and its worldwide influence as a democracy ... pause before tagging China as the adept modern innovator since it invents slogans about interconnecting roads while the US, under Trump, preaches "America first" isolation and promises to build walls.
China is ruled by a dictator and his delegates. It was ready to invade Tibet and, in that case, did not chatter on about neighborly roads ... it sent soldiers. More important, China is a country that competes well internationally because many of its citizens work in sweatshop conditions. Its leaders (like the old Soviets) have never shown concern about industrial pollution, so China's water, air, and land have been befouled ... to a degree that's hard for us to imagine in the US.
Donald Trump is an awful diplomat because he's ignorant, has no memory for details, and contradicts himself wildly depending on his audience and the angle of the camera.
But he is temporary. Will he be destructive? He already has been.
But does he have the power to silence and subdue our labor history? To eliminate all labor unions, muzzle our judges, arrest our journalists? Erase our democracy?
No.
3
45 is an imbecile. The fact that we have to take his idiotic utterances as serious policy is --my idea of --hell on earth. He's an absolute disgrace on the world stage--an idiot who one simply has to flatter to get what one wants. "Useful Idiot" is the most perfect description to date. How anyone, with even a scintilla of grey matter, is not appalled at this traveling carny show masquerading as the face of the USA is beyond me. Mueller, a nation turns its lonely eyes to you. Hurry. Please.
8
It is thanks to American Corporations that China has progressed. Once the door was opened to communications, thanks to Nixon and Kissinger, our corporations started sending there upper management people to negotiate and help set up manufacturing plants and training of Chinese workers so that the Corporations products could be produced cheaper than here in America. First it was clothing, then toys. In the beginning the products were inferior and American consumers were not interested.
But over the years, as we exported more production and the Chinese became more skilled, the quality of the products improved and voila, higher sales to Americans. Then came more training of the Chinese to manufacture more complex products. And so on.
Then all kinds of jobs were exported from the U.S.
So here we are. China is our number one competition. Too bad we did not export Democracy. But then ours is not much of one right now.
1
Has Trump awakened to the fact that the TPP was good for the US.
1
Ron,
you don't know whether the TPP is good for the US. You have just been told it is...
Did you know that the pain killers would be terrible for the American youth a few decades ago?
No, you didn't! You believed it was the best invention since the sliced bread...
Roger Cohen is a late-comer to the party. I have been saying this for more than decade. It has been obvious to anybody without personal bias and prejudice.
It’s a lie that Trump has no ideas. America has no ideas. There is no authoritarian system. There is just a strong sense of team spirit and social unity focused on the best interests of the entire society. There is no liberal democracy either. There is just a greedy cacophony of selfish interests cloaked into alleged freedom of speech that is basically unlimited, unobstructed social stupidity reinforced by the colossal brainwashing of the younger generations through the endless commercials pitched as the market economy.
Those are the worst counter-educational efforts that the world has ever witnessed in its history. Our corporate-controlled free press is now more dangerous to freedom, liberty, justice and fairness than the extremely conservative ancient religions have ever been.
While the monotheistic clergy used to brainwash the people once a week, the corporate outlets and social media are doing it relentlessly, 24/7…
Kim Yong Un is just a mousetrap for the foolish White House that cannot afford the public humiliation in front of the world nor the nuclear war, so it will cave in to other Chinese demands to sav the face.
If anybody watched the Hollywood movies, that would be a classic good-cop-bad-cop plot. Only the fools fall for it…
It’s like willfully embracing a suicide bomber. You cannot win such a dance…
Trump's deepest thoughts are a tax cut for himself, his next piece of chocolate cake, making more money by doing nothing and toadies who tell him he's wonderful. That's all there is, there is nothing deeper than that.
He and his supporters couldn't read or understand a Roger Cohen column if their lives depended on it. And their lives do depend on it and so do ours.
7
Trump -and the US- are the single most dangerous, destabilizing force in the world today. Trump is far more dangerous than Kim Jong-Un. Kim is horrible, but he is rational and has a clear goal: the survival of his regime. Trump is far more powerful, far more stupid, and seems to have no understanding of how political and economic power actually work. His determination to push North Korea into a corner and force it to give up its nuclear weapons has no chance at all of working; if anything, the strategy reinforces the DPRK's determination to hold to its nuclear capacity. In recognizing how destabilizing and dangerous the US is under Trump, however, we must not forget that Trump did not start this. Instead, the US first struck a terribly damaging blow against world order and stability when George W. Bush embarked on his illegal and destructive war against Iraq, the consequences of which continue to feed violence and terrorism around the world. Trump is the successor to Bush - another grossly incompetent President running rampant on the world stage. Admittedly, Bush was more "Presidential." But, in terms of the effects of his actions, he is still a far worse President than Trump. Of course, there is every reason to think that Trump will do his absolute best to contend for that title. He has gone a long way to crippling American power in the world. All he needs to do is add a nuclear war and he will have a lock on the title.
Roger is so generous to Trump. Whether he has a plan or the foresight or the guts “remains to be seen”. C’mon Roger. . . the word is in, no doubt about Trump’s abilities remains. He can think ahead almost 140 characters and remember back to the beginning of a tweet.
1
Xi is thoughtful, pragmatic and smart and a strategic thinker. It's unfortunate for the US that no one in our current administration is any of those things. As the Chinese would say, "Too bad, so sad".
"(like his dangerous infatuation with Saudi Arabia)."
More evidence here that Trump is driven by his international connections to oligarchs with the highest net worth.
These oligarchs see themselves as above their constituent nations laws.
We need to wake up to this challenge to nation state sovereignty.
1
Recall Napoleon's words, quoted in TIME issue of generations ago: Let China sleep. When she awakens the world will be sorry."Have a familial connection with China in colonial days. Uncle Edwin,nco in "great war" and after being "demobbed," joined Shanghai Municipal Police rising to rank of sgt.0pen Door policy was still in effect, and GB had what was called a "Concession!"Uncle Ned married a Eurasian, and have keep clipping from local paper in Hoylake, where family comes from announcing his betrothal to a Miss Helen Ley. Kept photo of her in a rickshaw alongside their son, circa 1925.But RC's point is well taken and China will be a super power in future, if she is not there already. Neither Trump nor any other Western leader can get over on China.In Far East we are at the mercy of events.1 final thing about late uncle. He was somewhat Victorian, old fashioned in his opinions on role of women in society:" Man was made to work and woman to weep" was his favorite saying, which probably would not go down too well today.In other words, women do not make good political leaders.Case in point was Margaret Thatcher who took GB into a useless war over an archipelago whom few had ever heard of, Falkland Islands, which intervention cost GB lives of 100 SAS commandoes, and more than 1,000 Argentinian troops, many of whom are walking streets of B.A. today and whom I have interviewed for Hoover Institution.Women in positions of leadership?"Ne faites pas rigoler!" RC writes with finesse!
Dear Sir,
I am somewhat unsure as to the point you are trying to make in the last portion of your message? Do you actually agree with the "woman do not make good political leaders" and "ne faites pas rigoler" comments?
If we calculate how many women vs men take their countries into "useless" conflicts (and, well, let's define useful shall we?), where do you really think they would point to with regards to the goodness of either gender as political leaders? Let's start counting useless wars, genocides, rapes, murders etc. etc., apply the proper statistical tool, and I shall be absolutely gobsmacked to find out that women have the monopoly of initiating uselessness whilst men hold that of greatness/usefulness/etc etc.
Not too say all things female are greater by some perverse reverse feministic chauvinism, but "soyons un peu sérieux!!!" and PLEASE let's tone down the unnecessary male chauvinism here, don't worry, we deal with it just about every where else. No need for an extra "keep them in their place" quote, even in French, even in jest ('cos it sure was too subtle for me to detect your disagreement with it....).
I am not probably not the only "peoplekind" loving female who is really sick and tired of being told what our "proper" place should be. I'll reconsider the day the bush catches fire and tells me in plain words, but until then I'll just assume that "political goodness" is potentially and inherently as likely with or without the great Y chromosome.
13
It is not just Trump: Reagan, the Bushes and now Trump. The GOP has been led and has led the US into a corner of retreat. First exporting the manufacturing, then claim that they, the GOP will correct this. Anyone looking at this must pity the GOP voters among the poor. They only have their guns, picup trucks and religion. And their opiods and poverty. Good luck, GOP voters.
1
I always suspected that Trump was a Russian secret agent, crafty enough to get unwitting middle America to vote for him. Now I am wondering whether the Chinese really are pulling his puppet strings.
Our leadership cannot fix even our own decaying bridges, tunnels and roads. Fixing the world? Ha!
7
Trump's comment that he and Xi had " great chemistry "is almost as foolish as Bush Jr's remark zbout looking into Putin's eyes. This is worse than foolish. It's downright embarrassing for a national leader to personalize international relations. Get a dog.
4
How about one belt around Trumps wrists and one road out of the country.
Roger, we all know how Trump won his election last year.
Besides all the 'fake news' that Russia planted, Trump won by talking tough on China and ending it's monopoly in the South China Sea and on the U.S. economy where Chinese leaders lent a big hand on our deficit and still now won't let go of an enormous power they've on us.
And what did a president Trump said now about China's role on our economy?
Compared to the candidate Trump, this forever lying and a thoroughly coward president called Trump, now blames his own country for all of our troubles with China.
Yes, Trump literally let China off the hook and blamed our previous administrations, mainly blaming our first Black President Obama whom he always hated from his heart whom he harassed for 7 years in a stretch.
So as we see the transformation in a crooked president called Trump who would forgo of any national duties if the other foreign governments allowed him some slack and eased all the restrictions on his personal business ventures by processing the Trump Inc.'s new business applications like XI did in China.
Actually, they way Trump is behaving now, he can never convince us that he didn't gain any profit for himself personally or has no intention of expanding his business of Trump Org in China.
No matter what he does now,Trump will be always suspected of making profits from all his foreign trips only because he didn't divest his wealth and put it in a blind trust like most of the presidents before him did.
3
Our problem is more than Trump. He is just a symptom. Can any of our leaders think beyond the next election? Can American citizens think about the lessons and tides of history, beyond a few academics and think-tank wonks?
China will continue to rise for the same reason we did 100 years ago: a strong and advanced industrial system focused on new technologies. America will continue to slide because we value short-term profit and entertainment over larger societal goals. I know these are generalizations, and there are exceptions. But the tide runs one way and then another.
I have taught Chinese students for three decades, and at the beginning they all wanted to stay in the US to learn about our system; many of them went on to become citizens. Now they all want to return to China. Whatever the demerits of their political system, I am taken by how young Chinese talk about curing cancer, combating climate change, and building a robust space program.
American kids, meanwhile, go into finance to chase the phantom we now call “money,” which for our government means little as it spends money it does not have and burdens those after us with national bankruptcy. I think the chance of China turning the screws financially on a future America lying prostrate after a debt default far exceeds the possibility of armed conflict.
7
Trump’s next book? “The art of the KNEEL”.
3
Trump is gutting the State Department in his monomaniacal panic to foreclose any more walk-ins providing additional evidence of his international money laundering and other illegal activities including what might be construed as cooperating with espionage with Putin. But, don't worry. Wearing matching blue jackets, Trump and Putin, the Cheech and Chong of totalitarian aspiration appeared in Vietnam, with Trump settling the whole Russian question. "I have Putin's assurance that Russia did not tamper with our election." Case closed, nothing more to see here. Children free, if female, under 14, and unaccompanied by an adult.
3
This is a little off Gail's subject today BUT, I think it is the archetypal demonstration of sinister and eveil Trump is that, despite the mountain of evidence being built to the contrary, Trump opts to gush about and echo the words of perhaps the world's biggest criminal (Putin) that Russia didn't meddle in our election(s). Impeach this moron now!
China plays Trump like the unsophisticated lout that he is...easily manipulated by his narcissism .....
4
American business as expressed through the stock market thinks in quarters, 90 day increments. Donald Trump is an American business man. He appears to think ... or react ... tweet to tweet. His strategic thinking is checkers to Mr. Xi's chess. They played him like a cheap fiddle.
5
Any foreign leader worth his/her salt has come to realize that shallow Trump can be easily manipulated, used and useful for their own purposes. Too bad half the American electorate can't see the same. Tragic, really.
1
The Chinese have been around for 3000 years for a reason. They seem to understand the concept of what the article calls "the long game". The Divided States of America, still a toddler by Chinese standards, is now having a tantrum with itself and the rest of the world. While we are busy proceeding with a plan to transfer the country's wealth into the hand's of the few, China continues moving forward, as we once did, developing the kinds of international relationships which may serve them very well in the next fifty years and beyond.
It is frightening to see the diverging directions China and the DSA are taking, particularly when its clear that China is moving in the direction of growth, while the DSA recoils from international responsibility and leadership. China may one day thank us for our acquiescence to them on the world stage.
But the silver lining, if the trend we see continues into the future, is that many Americans will become bilingual. Indeed learning Chinese will become one of the necessary requisites in American life. Either that, or we as a nation begin to find our way in this new world pretty fast.
4
Democrats need to lay out a long term vision for where our country is going, like the Chinese have done. Then they need to show voters how policies get us to that. Then they can sell it, and inspire.
Republicans have a "vision." Lower taxes. I've got mine. Everyone else is on his own. It is selfish and limited, but everyone knows their vision. They sell it.
Meanwhile Roger tells us that the Chinese have Trump where they want him. Another editorial today says the Saudis have Trump where they want him. We hear constantly that Russia has him where they want him. We also hear that of Netanyahu. Everyone has Trump where they want him. Except us.
Either that is overstated, or we really ought to get hold of Trump. Buy him, if it is so easy. Golden parachute? Health care and you can put your name on it? Apparently it does not take much, because everyone else has done it -- unless that isn't true. Which is it?
12
@ Mark Thomason - Yes, perhaps someone should be studying the Chinese plan carefully and then present it in simplified form to us and to the Democratic Party.
I wonder if we took the time even now to study what Bernie Sanders proposed whether that might come closer to being a plan than anything anyone else has come up with.
Perhaps somebody should examine the major elements of public policy in several advanced countries to see if taken together they show the plan that somehow or other was realized in each.
One of the more interesting things about Sweden's plan is that new arrivals and most political parties support basic elements of that plan in sharp contrast to what I see daily in reports from my other country, the USA.
Bernie certainly named some of these Swedish elements so I name them again - just a sample.
Universal Health Care
Pre, peri, and post natal care accompanied by paid parental leave and support for children, with no consideration given to SES level.
Free university education.
Free medical and nursing school with these programs being entered directly on completion of high school or that plus additional work to bring GPA up to the level required for entry.
A national energy program that has produced more different renewable energy approaches than almost any other country I am familiar with.
Only-NeverInSweden.blogspot.com
Dual citizen US SE
5
"Which is it?"
Of course Trump is for sale and his price is a pennies compared to the cost of the damage that he & the GOP are doing to the nation.
Americans who do believe that Trump's presidency is illegitimate need to get rid of him, to show the world what their country is all about - not a banana republic.
His visit to China has been a huge success thanks to Xi Jinping's lavish reception. Trump has many Chinese fans, who are impressed by his business success and a free-wheeling style. They believe he is extremely rich, and they like it that he show offs his grandeur and splendour. They have been brainwashed by state-controlled media - just like Trump's supporters by Fox News, Breitbart, InfoWars etc. - and see the conscientious press in the West as "fake news."
The US will survive a Trump presidency and the country will move on without plunging into chaos, because democracy - with its flaws and imperfections - is still more resilient than the political system in China. Obviously Xi knows that China can't afford democratisation, after seeing what happened to the post-Soviet Russia under Boris Jeltsin. I wish Xi much luck with his iron fist rule. No one would like the idea of seeing hundreds of millions of people fleeing China, should it sink into chaos.
6
"The second-to-last thing is the end of the North Korean regime and a united Korean Peninsula at its border, allied to the United States. "
Maybe not. South Korea may be reaching out to China now. In the event of a united peninsula South Korea will agree to eschew the United States and cooperate with China.
Once the chaos had been resolved China would be in a better position. They no longer need North Korea as a thorn in our side. Russia may still prefer that approach., however.
3
I first encountered China on a tourist group trip to China in 2000. I was amazed at their rapid infrastructure development throughout the areas that we visited. From the most modern airports, to newly built roads, to modern museums with lighting systems to preserve the treasures, to mobile phone service in some of the most rural areas in the middle of the Yangtzee River. And the pace of development.... I'd estimate 5-10 times faster than anything we can do here even on a smaller scale.
I next encountered China in 2016 in Costa Rica. China is exporting this infrastructure building to roads and facilities in Costa Rica and neighboring countries. The explanation given to me was "bring better roads and other infrastructure" to these under-developed countries and new markets are created for Chinese products and services (i.e. commerce).
A half century ago the US was a leader in infrastructure development and it led to our commercial growth and success. Today we can't even provide for our own infrastructure maintenance and development. Our excuse... we are the leader already... why should we waste our time and money when we can give it to the 1% .
What is missing in the US is any vision of a future.... for our country in the world. Without a future we will atrophy as a country.
And if China is successful by mid-century the nails will be put in the coffin of the US economy.
If the development that I saw in 2000 and again in 2016 are any indication our prospects are dim.
39
How about this for observation...when I was 8 years old, some 62 years ago, my uncle Carl was teaching me how to play chess in Santa Monica, CA and he would talk to me about his experiences after WW2 when he was in China. He said that within my lifetime China would become the world's most powerful and influential country because of the character of its people. I never forgot that lesson and now his prediction appears to be coming true.
3
President Trump's seemingly conciliatory statement that China is not at fault for trying to feather its own nest, was taken in by the press as a walk backwards in his harsh rhetoric towards China. It was anything but that. Our President signaled that it is ok to prosper at someone else's expense. This is a exercise we cannot win given the population differences, manufacturing power, and number of citizens under arms in China. I guess we will have to get use to living under the yoke of a nation that it is more focused on success than ours. Mr. Trump dances so close to the line of treason because of his ill thought out promulgations. He stays on the right side of the line because people recognize his shortcomings, and still hope some surrounding consultant will keep him in check. It doesn't look like they are making any headway. We will have to depend on the 2018 election, and down ballot candidates to rein in Trump's dangerous tendencies.
132
Winning at someone else's expense is a euphemism for the Trump doctrine.
1
Trump must be replaced ASAP!
He is leading the demise of the U.S. as a world leader. Such will be his legacy.....and that of our fine country.
"Smiling tiger" is a Chinese idiom - subtlety far over the head of DT and his foolish sloganeering.
6
The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.
- Confucius (https://goo.gl/WNTH7G)
At such a perilous time, Americans need to be asking themselves whether it is a good thing that the Trump Administration is currently engaged in gutting the State Department as an effect global presence.
Because the United States is isolated geographically, it has long looked at the world with curious and suspicious eyes. But if industrialization, trade and two world wars taught us anything, it was that the U.S. must be engaged with the rest of the world through open lines of communications, negotiations and diplomatic relations.
Trump, the fake nationalist, intentionally wants to lessen the role of diplomacy and, in its place, implement a "great man" theory of world leadership -- the great man being himself, of course. Trump's policy is that we don't need diplomats and career Foreign service expertise, but instead a transactional foreign policy -- deal making.
It is proving to be a catastrophic position for the U.S. As Trump tries to go mano-a-mano with Kim Jon-un, Erdogan, the Saudi royal family, et al, our leadership role in the world is threatened.
So far, the only voice raising doubts belongs to Bob Corker, who will soon be gone from office. Everyone else on Capitol Hill is silent. This is not good.
162
paulb67....Canada seems to be somewhere around the usa. why doesn't it look at the world with suspicious eyes? as for American curiosity....americans, on the whole, are oblivious to what's going on elsewhere. all you need to do is talk to the 'folks' to find out that's true. have you ever noticed how often americans say 'only in america' without a clue about anywhere else? how about calling national sport champions 'world' champions. does that point to a world view?
1
China is not winning the game. Trump resigned. The US was very much ahead but we are not playing that game anymore. Sad.
4
Real leaders view the world with eyes wide open and with clear, far-reaching goals that include real solutions to genuine problems.
Then there are the 'firsters'... the maniacs like stumpy, Stalin, Hitler, Putin, the Saudis.... who think in self-interested terms of aggression and the denial of reality.... taking whole nations and the world into the dark turmoil of war.
He's ours.... we voted for him.... and it is MORE than apparent where he's heading. Still we do nothing....
Not My President.... NEVER, EVER...
13
To boil it all down, President Xi Jinping is winning at chess, while Trump is still cheating at checkers.
50
Trump is so far out of his depth he cannot see it and is being played by Xi and every other world leader.
21
Kim Jong-un is uncontrollable as Donald Trump or Xi-Jinping. Control over in the sunrise countries isn't the issue right now. China's Xi Jinping is in Asia's catbird seat. Trump is the losingest president in American history. Facts is facts. We can only hope he will be defeated before he can rouse his rabble and angry white women-grabbers to vote him into a second term at his several outrageous White Houses. China's lookin' good these days.
3
All the commentators and politicians quote each other on N. Korea being a thorn in China's side, and how we must implore Xi to better control Kim.
Doubtful. China-N.Korea is a choreographed goodGuy-badGuy routine, designed to extract, from the U.S., what it is that China wants. If we want China to do something about Kim, we need to pay China. And maybe we are: Trump just recanted on his US/China trade balance theme. But, then again, Trump reverses himself every time he speaks, so who knows what - if anything - is in his brain (besides raisins).
5
Who in their right mind would make a deal with Donald Trump? In the more recent past it seems to have been those who wish to rent the 'fame' of his name for whatever motive. There is reasonable suspicion others wished to clean dirty cash. But no one came for his brilliance in business and finance. American banks had essentially locked their doors and vaults to anything Trump. To them, he long ago became toxic.
Now we have the self-proclaimed deal-maker trying to practice his "art of the deal" with the rest of world on America's behalf.
As Mr. Cohen stunningly notes, "Trump does not really have ideas. He has impulses." This makes him a horror for America's friends, but an unparalleled opportunity for the shrewd and ambitious.
He bargains like a child. He can be flattered with pomp, bought off with shiny objects, won over with empty emotions, overwhelmed with facts - real and fake. He is a 'mark' on the world stage, a conman with an impossible con to play out.
But Trump perseveres. He claims victory in retreat from the world by proclaiming, "America First!".
The question it leaves unasked and unanswered: First with whom?
16
I agree with poster diogenes that a unified Korean peninsula wouldn't (or shouldn't) feature any American military bases because there'd be no need for them. Without the threat from North Korea, what would be the point?
Furthermore, I'd like to suggest that perhaps our liberal Western ideals are not universal. Or at least not yet. Don't get me wrong: I think they represent some of the highest ideals man can strive for and I'd join the army to defend them if they were ever threatened back home. But what good has trying to bring liberal democracy to Islamic civilizations done over the past 20 years?
Would Afghanistan be the mess it is today if we'd imposed a Chinese-style single party structure instead of liberal democracy? I don't think so. Maybe it would be more like Egypt: deeply flawed in many ways but at least fewer people would be fighting and dying. And US and NATO troops wouldn't need to be there at vast expense to Western taxpayers.
Let's be honest: for a lot of nations out there, a Chinese state would be a massive improvement. Especially in those places where liberal democracy is a pipe dream.
78
A unified Korea without American military bases will be as good as Ukraine without its nuclear weapons. If there's one thing South Korea learned is that unless it has military support with bases within its borders it will be taken over by a military giant next door.
Let's be honest: that "vast expense to Western taxpayers" is no accident. It's our money being siphoned into politically powerful industries. The issues being fought over are purely incidental to the cash-grab.
The man-child from Queens stamps his foot and says "No more Mr Victim... America first. We will only negotiate bilateral trade agreements; and we have the military to back up our demands". At the same time the remaining 11 countries in the TPP deal agree to move forward with their tariff free pact. They will be the largest trading entity in the world. No bilateral deals here. China's new silk road (One Belt, One Road) will spend $1Trillion to create infrastructure and trade deals across Asia to the West. And we know they can do it...they really have a wall. Roger is exactly right here...Trump does not really have ideas he has impulses. He thinks trade in the age of globalisation is a zero sum negotiation - like real estate. This is the man who paid double the value of the Plaza Hotel in New York before losing it. It still suffers from this over valuation and leverage. (Are you listening Jared?) This is also the man who over invested in Atlantic City, NJ casinos and went bankrupt when other casinos were doing well. The impulse of a grifter. It was only people like Wilbur Ross, Carl Ichan, and the banks who had loaned him too much money that saved him from living on Fifth Avenue...literally ON Fifth Avenue in a sleeping bag. The idea that he will master these relations is laughable. How long will the markets soar before they get the joke?
17
Trump went to China to see where his and Ivanka's stuff is made
the kowtow was nauseating.
word
1
China produces lots of junk, junk clothing, junk household products, junk toys, junk everything. Much of the junk they produce is packaged in disgusting layers of plastic, sealed so that one practically has to use a hack saw to cut through the wasteful amount of covering to touch the object.
Buttons fall of clothing after several uses, seams do not meet properly, threads are pathetically thinly woven, producing disgustingly thin, grossly shoddy garments. Shoes are mostly plastic and cardboard, disgusting. Everything the country produces is manufactured to break, fall apart very quickly, or not work at all.
It is about quantity to the Chinese, not quality. Meanwhile the country is choking on the own exhalations, because the air doesn't move enough, as it is so heavy with pollutants.
I recall an article that I read in Vanity Fair, it was from a 1990's. A group of Chrysler Dodge executives visited China, and during the visit saw of vehicle that was quite the replica of the Jeep Cherokee. The Chinese government official, (it will always be a Chinese government official) who was the group escort when questioned about the stealing of patent relating to this automobile, listened as the government escort responded with something like, "you should be flattered that we like it so much we copied it".
The workers of America can produce, we did so for centuries. It is time to take back what our government and corporations have stolen from us. Our livelihood. Let us stop this.
1
The factories in China produce whatever quality the customer's specifications call for. It can be the "junk" you refer to or, an iPhone or high end computer. Americans can produce, however, let's not forget the automobiles of the 1970s. Ironically, all the vehicles on the road today look like copies of each other. Ultimately, it was foreign competition that opened our eyes to quality and efficiency. We are now, in many cases, expectant of both.
While it is true, many of us have willingly filled our homes and apartments with "junk" from foreign sources (reminiscent of George Carlin's monologue about our "Stuff") and have accepted lower quality for lower prices, the real test is whether, for much of what we purchase, the American consumer is willing to (or able to) buy quality goods at a higher price point even if it may include buying less. Foreign trade and competition is a double edged sword and it is difficult to negotiate trade deals when the consumer is not always "on board".
"It’s not clear whether any Trump strategy can get beyond such zero-sum rabble-rousing."
It's not clear that Trump has any strategy at all, Mr. Cohen.
5
Just a year or two ago, we predicted a China economic collapse because its overcapacity in infrastructure building would simply lead to "roads to nowhere". Belt and Road is going to tie together 3 continents and, all-in, will result in $26 trillion in infrastructure investment and building from Central Asia to Africa. So far, $890 billion in projects have already been confirmed. Belt and Road is simply staggering in scale and ambition.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump is talking about a Mexican Wall he has yet to build.
Increasingly, the only important news is coming out of China.
13
"Hundreds of millions of Asians outside China don’t want to find themselves obliged to study Xi Jinping Thought. They prefer liberalism to Leninism." The idea of connecting the international behavior of a country with what it does domestically is naive. for example, US is democratic inside US borders, but internationally, the US is number one super power. It can destroy another country if it chooses, even without UN authority. It's a hegemony, sometimes a bully (sanctions will be imposed on other countries.)
Feed Trump's ego and he will fall over himself trying to get another doggie bone.Trump the campaigner did his best Trump the Street Fighter act when he was talking about how China had to pay for beating up on us. Trump the president told China he admired them for being able to fleece us because we were a bunch of Rubes and deserved getting fleeced.Must be great for Trump to go somewhere where people pretend to respect him as the Great Leader.Trump is so flattered that he has refrained from Tweeting while he is being praised by the same people he was ready to Knock Out when he was Trump the Battler for the common man when he was campaigning.If being the leader of the free world is important to people in America Trump just wrecked your world.
5
Very troubling fall from the world stage as the voice of freedom working to establish and maintain good working relationships with stable democratic allies. An America now led by a person more concerned with destroying the country’s democratic structure from within and with the immediate growth his own personal and family wealth and short term trading gains//wins to make America great again for now while he reigns. The Chinese and Japanese think long term for their countries while the Tweeter and his unquestioning idol worshippers struggle just to get through each day without having to put out new firestorms created by the Tweeter and his guru at Breitbart. A pretender president surrounded by a bunch of misguided, confused and poorly led temps wondering how long the Tweeter will be able to continue holding on to his besieged reign and how long they will remain employed in his Dump House. The 20th century was the American century, but as for the 21st century, America is now quickly ceding its world leadership role in order to pursue the short term nationalist and isolationist goals of their money hungry president who is clueless as to what it takes to be a visionary and globally connected world leader. Making America great again has become an oxyMORON.
Yes, and if trump thinks all our jobs are going to China now, Mr. trump, just wait. There will be NO American jobs by 2035 thanks to our narcissistic president and the Chinese. Oh, just a minute. We may be able to immigrate (maybe) to China and cut their grass, babysit, do housework and become fast food cooks IF China tolerates immigrants and let's us "take jobs from their workers".
Thanks, Mr. president. China has you tightly wrapped around their little finger and you are too dumb to know it.
Obama tried to counter China's power and influence with the TPP but Trump pulled out. We need to accept that this is the China century. They grew their power using soft power through trade and infrastructure investment. Much more effective and a lot less threatening than interfering in local politics or military action.
The US as an empire is fading just like every other empire before us. We're over extended in military action abroad and we're underinvested in infrastructure and our own needs domestically. We can no longer offer a better quality of life for intellectuals than what they would experience abroad. Why would you come here when you can go there and thrive.
238
Maybe the Eurasian century.
How many times must we re-introduce, as required reading, "The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire". People just don't get it.
FROM AN OLD ARTICLE: Steve Bannon, the assistant and chief strategist to President Donald Trump believes the U.S. will be at war with China within the next few years. "We're going to war in the South China Sea in five to 10 years, aren't we?" said Bannon in March of 2016 ...There's no doubt about that.
The silver lining to Trump's ill fitting suit, which matches his ill fitted presidency, is that his dangerous awfulness may finally provide the momentum for Americans to throw off the failure of our obsession over capitalism and replace it with the more lasting values of humanitarianism.
While our capitalism provides the structural bulwark to sustain the country's economy, it provides next to nothing as a cultural value system to sustain our souls.
Just after WW II we embarked on a grand experiment in caring diplomacy by offering The Marshal Plan to rebuild Europe. Unfortunately, we failed to follow through with a foreign policy for future years of additional Marshall Plans as diplomatic solutions . Instead we adopted military conflicts as economic engines to drive the economy.
Now is the opportunity to transform the failure of electing Trump with an enlightened and peaceful approach to keeping the peace!
1
Can we drop the pretence that Donald Trump has the faintest idea of what he's supposed to do, say, or even think on these trips? Or that he has the remotest understanding of geopolitics? And while we're at it, let's drop the notion that he's anything but petrified in the presence of Xi and Putin. The man is spectacularly out of his depth.
1
Roger has it right. China played Trump for a fool. They have a plan and look ahead; they know he has none and is trapped in narcissistic selfishness. So they roll out the red carpet, it costs nothing and disarms him. As for America defending democracy and providing a foil to China and other dictatorships, well, Trump doesn't believe in democracy, or rule of law, or fundamental fairness, so America's values are not represented, and won't be until we make it out of this dark, insane tunnel we got ourselves into.
4
Well said - not that I'm biased or anything.
History may very well debate whether Nixon's opening up trade with China was a good or bad for the Country or the World, but there will be little debate over the fact that in barely a year Trump has managed to so undermine America's interests in the world that it may be impossible to ever recover.
As in every relationship, the ultimate bond between people; between people and its government; and between nations is based on trust. Trust is something that can take lifetimes to build and only moments to destroy. Trump, with his incessant lying, ignorance, hate, and hypocrisy has managed in just a year to completely destroy our trust in each other; our trust in government*: and the trust of other nations in America. It will take decades to rebuild that trust assuming it is even possible.
*Trump may not have started destroying our Trust. That distinction goes to the likes of Nixon, Reagan, and other Republicans who have been dividing us for decades but Trump has brought a whole new level of division to the nation at a time when it can be least afforded.
Maybe its time to start learning Chinese.
1
Good article. But it isn't the prospect of a border with a US allied gvt that bothers China - look at India, Pak, Thailand, Taiwan, etc. -- China has a lot of neighbors.
The REAL reason they won't let NK/DPRK fail is to prevent the inevitable instability, waves of refugees in Jilin Provence. Plus they make a tidy income exploiting sanctions loopholes, and their legit trade with China. $ $ Money
US Forces Korea could be removed if "Fatty 3" (as the Chinese call Kim Jong Un) fail, but chaos and lost profits are harder to endure.
On the topic, its good US cits can no longer visit NK, as I wrote (sorry about the plug)
https://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2017/03/06/useful-idiots-tourism-i...
David
NYC
Roger, you are correct in the first place - China Has Donald Trump Just Where It Wants Him - and you are correct in the second place where you state:
"Trump does not really have ideas. He has impulses (like his dangerous infatuation with Saudi Arabia)."
I hope readers will follow that link where they will read that Donald Trump offers his absolute support to Saudi Arabia long engaged and presently engaged in practices that he would condemn totally were they being carried out in Iran.
It is simply impossible for me, just one older American citizen, to imagine that we, the USA, and the rest of the world can come out of this in my lifetime in any satisfactory manner.
Only-NeverInSweden.blogspot.com
Dual citizen US SE
6
The Saudi won The Donald with opulence and the Chinese wowed him with their military. We`re going to have trouble with this boy when he comes home.
I understand that Xi offered Trump one of China's "beautiful" artificial islands in the South China Sea for his post-impeachment retirement.
Even proposed gold plating it for him.
3
Its almost impossible to make a comment on the NY post, if you want to engage in dialogue there are much better news websites out there. This complaint will probably not show up, but it may slip by hours later after writing this.
Trump has just managed to unify the ASEAN economic area with China on his Asian summit (besides antagonising North Korea), listen to President Jinping's speech after Trump's. China and ASEAN together pretty much makes Asia, so imagine tariffs on American goods like Apple not just from China, but from Asia? Will certainly be very good for Asian technology companies. Trump has not only strengthened Asia, he has also managed to strengthen the EU, especially after his awful failure of a NATO speech and pulling out of the Paris Climate Accord. Trump is ISOLATING the US!
4
The thought of China, with its economic power, burgeoning military might, and imperialist ambition is truly a frightening thought. Perhaps not to millions in Africa and Asia, who will willingly sell their birthright for a mess of pottage. There was a true battle, after World War II, for the hearts and minds of the world, which we thought we had won, because of Churchill and Roosevelt. Despite Stalin and the USSR, the ideal of democracy and our subsequent model as a beacon of democracy, despite all our mistakes, made us the leader of the free world. More than our military might, it was our steadfast adherence to the principles of freedom, and our dedication to spreading that creed worldwide. And now we are fighting another battle with an authoritarian regime, except our leader has no higher principle to inspire others to follow our lead. We have selfishness and violence as our banner, and our competitor holds out the false promise of material advancement and security to poor nations, that will end in their subjugation to an imperial colonialist power.
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@ ss, " and our competitor holds out the false promise of material advancement and security to poor nations, that will end in their subjugation to an imperial colonialist power." I assume you mean China will employ the same or similar methodology the DSA used throughout Latin America and elsewhere to impose its own brand of "imperial power".
4
China did not put 2.3 million Americans in prison. That is 25% of the world total with 5% of humanity.
China did not invade and occupy Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq. America did.
China did not engineer coups in Iran, Libya, Indonesia, Pakistan, Egypt, Congo and Syria. America did.
China does not have troops and bases in the Americas, Europe, and Australia. America does.
China did not invent and use nuclear weapons. America did.
Barack Hussein Obama and Michelle LeVaughn Robinson Obama were both born in separate and unequal Jim Crow America. An America where the marriage of white American Stanley Ann Dunham and black African Barack Hussein Obama was a crime throughout the former Confederate States of America.
Your malign mythical white supremacist misogynist mythology is showing without your cloaking KKK white sheets. Charlottesville lives!
3
I cannot imagine having this discussion a year ago but Donald Trump has brought to bear that too big , too rich, and too powerful presents a great danger of too insane. I don't know which of the world's great kleptocracies the USA, China or Russia will collapse first but my guess is that as soon as Russia collapses China and the USA will be in a dead heat for next over the cliff..
Twenty twenty seven will be the three hundredth anniversary of Swift's Modest Proposal and every day more and more people are catching on that the future belongs to we insectivores and rodents.
The shear magnitude of protecting and consolidating vast economic or territorial empires in our internet world is an impossibility. If we don't blow it up the future will belong to independent coalitions of free liberal democracies that are willing to give up some power and sovereignty.
If China could become the EU and allow various linguistic, cultural or economic regions autonomy and allow them the right to become separate nations then China might be the future. Spain's failure to negotiate with Catalonia guaranteed a separate Catalonia where simply allowing Catalonia the right to secede might have quieted the nationalist movement.
The world has become very small and too many of China's best and brightest know how freedom feels.
Our babies are our future and we are not selling them to feed the already overfed.
America may be first, first over the cliff. Destroying North Korea is suicide.
5
Great article. Reminds me of the importance to stretch our time horizon to put things in perspective and provide context for the conversations we should be having.
Trump goes after an immediate win on words through tweets and sound bites and it allows him to feel big and powerful - in the moment. Meanwhile, China's leader is quietly focused on his long-term goals of building national strength and global dominance - goals he may realize while we're not paying attention - goals that may not be in our best interest.
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If we put things in the physical terms with which Donald Trump is comfortable, Trump is a nasty little munchkin in comparison to the looming giant, Xi Jinping.
Trump has temper tantrums, but he held his tongue – for once – in China. Xi is accustomed to speaking gently to outsiders, but he has a smiling contempt for the dullard who presumes to be his worthy adversary.
Xi probably has a capacity for brutality on a scale which Westerners can barely imagine, but he is a reluctant tyrant. He is confident that a consensus will form among nations around the world that he, China and its high-tech socialism are the best path.
To say that Donald Trump Is overmatched is an understatement.
If this is a competition, democratic liberalism is losing badly to authoritarian collectivism.
13
For a man who prides himself as the "master of the art of the deal," it certainly seems China got the better of him. Got him to sing a completely tune with regard to China's trade and currency practices, fall over himself with ebullient praise for Xi Jinping, not mutter a peep about human rights, and to not let reporters ask questions at the end of a joint news conference.
Actually, Trump's goal in China wasn't to really negotiate anything for the United States, but just to bask in the limelight and feel his ego stroked. It's sad that the leader of the free world is such a narcissist that he's willing to abandon all demands and principles as long as he gets a king's welcome, which he did. China knew how to play him to a tee.
17
there must be some mistake. trump, as he tells us ad infinitum, is really smart and as smart as he is, his negotiating skill makes his intelligence seem inconsequential..
4
What a lot of cobbled together thoughts and impressions meandering along, bumping into things. What was the ultimate point?
What is our foreign policy? The Obama era of our moving toward the Pacific is ended with the cancelling of TPP. Our historic ties to Europe is strained. Our middle east policy is unknown to anyone. The only thing sure is that Trump likes Putin.
Does anyone really believe that this presidency is not taking us down the rabbit hole? Time for article 25 section 4 or impeachment, whichever can come first.
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Though China is stepping into the global space left open by the Trump ruled US yet it's expansionistic global hegemonic impulses externaly and authoritarian control over society internally hardly fit well with the role it aspires to play on the world stage. It's European and Asian democracies, in the mean time, that have to evolve a collective defence against the threat to the liberal world.
14
It is almost as if Putin ordered Trump to make America into a second-world oil (and coal) based economy...and he did it.
And the great beneficiary is China, which will grow well beyond Russia and the U.S. by 2050. There's nothing Putin can do about that.
Well, the good news is soon no one will be able to claim with a straight face that the white race is superior, or Capitalism is the best way to spur innovation, or that Christianity builds good character. (Of course the whole character thing was from Aristotle, who was no Christian.) I personally won't miss any of them. I will miss democracy though. Too bad about that. (And Aristotle was the first to say democracy was the best form of government out of all the alternatives.)
41
The last paragraph sums up where there is a real concern for peace. It sums up how little the current American president understands about global events.
14
Xi ate Trump as if he were a piece of "beautiful chocolate cake." Trump is so out of focus he cannot even see what is happening in front of him. There is a Trump Hotel in Panamá City. The US helped Panamá gain its independence in 1903. The US built the original canal and operated it from 1913 to 1999. Panamá built a new canal, which operates side by side with the original, two years ago.
Panamá just solicited bids from construction companies to build a fourth bridge over the Panamá Canal. Four bids were submitted, two from Chinese companies. No US company submitted a bid. China is running all over Trump in his own backyard.
53
Mr. Trump dealt with Chinese before in his private business whether in domestic or in international arena. As a president, he knows exactly what he can get from China in terms of trades and friendship. Being a nice guy to China, he knows that he will get much more in return when he is no longer the president. His presidency may last two terms, but his business can last for a long time. President Trump knows exactly where and when he wants to be with China. Just like every politician knows exactly where and when they want to be with a lobbyist for now and after government obligations.
8
I respectfully differ that China is advancing its ideology. It is focused on economic interests and does not interfere in any country's internal affairs or try a regime change in countries. On the contrary we are involved in many countries' s internal affairs both politically and militarily. Your reference to Saudi Arabia is a prime example, which may lead to a new war. We always do not advance democratic values and has supported brutal dictators and toppled democratic regimes. Trump's win is the fruit of our misguided policies of the past, both domestic and foreign.
6
On trade/economic protectionism, China has a simple mechanism to reign in corporate interests that conflict with those of national - persecution. Given that the American system encourages interest groups instead of authoritarianism/dictatorship, what do we have to counter overpowered corporations that - and inherently so - don't always put national interests first?
Trump is not the beginning nor the end of our systemic problem. This is a nonpartisan issue that needs to be addressed.
5
Cohen right - Trump's 'ugly' slogan 'Make America Great Again' - is the mantra of the greedy and not the catch-all phrase designed to restore national pride. There was nothing wrong with America until this combed-over carpetbagger came along. How on Earth is ceding US Pacific hegemony to China making America Great Again? Our fathers and grandfathers fought with their lives to keep the Pacific free. Out-thinking Trump is not hard - and the Chinese are legendary for out-thinking their opponents. It's kinda obvious that the Chinese know they're dealing with a vain-glorious individual, and they shamelessly pump him up with parades and feasts and pageantry - knowing full well this is how to gain territory and advantage, for such little cost, over an ocean shared by both nations. President Trump - you've been played.
121
trump represents us, we've all been played.
Sir, Donald can't " think " beyond Lunch. HE is the result of decades of Limbaugh and FOX. The Cold War is over, the Info War is ascendant. And Winning. Thanks, GOP.
63
Funny how the word "petulant" keeps showing up in Trump stories.
14
When isn't Trump out of his depth? Obama's TPP, successfully negotiated and heading toward ratification, was a rational way to handle the Silk Road threat to Asian/Indian balance of power issues peacefully. But Trump's base hates Obama for whatever reasons Murdoch made up for them ten years ago so whether it's climate, health care, international relations, or putting sex predators into higher office, America's most vital interests must be overridden. Good grief!
79
If the world must have a superpower, the modern equivalent of empires past, most countries would undoubtedly look to the U.S. to fill that role. However, to many it seems that America has lost its way, the Trump era representing a new low point in Washington's global standing. His inexplicable dance with the Saudis, whose regime has less in common with democratic values than any other, best illustrates Amerca's predicament at a time when other powers are rising.
14
One can readily tell the different between China's well organized priorities long-term, a leader in the world in the not too distant future; and a disorganized, shooting from the cuff, ignorant bully, trying to say something of value to a skeptic audience. China does have Trump in it's pocket indeed, as it uses consummate flattery to stroke the ego of a vain man.
38
Utter nonsense.
In fact, this takes utter nonsense to a whole new level.
China has been on the ascent for the entire 21st century. In the 2000's it was a steep upward sloping line, and it went exponential after 2008, during the Obama years.
It executed it's "China First" strategy, rather brilliantly, and it has worked out quite well for them.
On the other hand, America and the rest of the developed world have been on a downward trajectory for the entire 21st century, which accelerated and became a downward spiral after 2008.
That's why nobody--absolutely nobody--should have been surprised by Brexit, Trump, Macron, the humiliation of Merkel, Kurz or any of the other "surprises" of late. This has all been two decades in the making.
Globalization failed, spectacularly, not because it's bad, but because it was disastrously implemented. That is simply indisputable at this point, as the ongoing collapse of the developed world will attest.
Cohen noticed none of this. He was negligent in the extreme. He missed the biggest story of the 21st century for the past 17 years, so all he can do now is yet another rant, acting like everything was perfect until Trump got elected, and all of a sudden we've gone off the rails.
Trump would be doing infomercials that play at 3:00 in the morning if people like Cohen had been paying attention to the collapse of the West, and liberal democracy, for the past twenty years.
The world is clearly moving much too fast for the dinosaurs.
26
TB,
Cohen is ranting?
1
Great comment. Do u have a blog? I am in Rockland County, New York but lived on and off in Asia for the past 8 years. Could not agree more w most of your statements. You can just feel it over there... A new world. Take care.
1
"controlling Kim Jung-un..." If you're talking about controlling him as opposed to China supporting him, if the status quo remains, they are the same thing. Don't just look at what they say; or expect our past policies that have failed to now succeed. The China policy toward the N. Koreans is extended cruelty, while holding the S. Koreans hostage. Just as we are insisting on a Non-nuclear North, we should also be expecting China to seek a settlement of the Korean War brokered by the U.S. and China. Placating Trump should not also be our policy.
1
I, for one, am finally tired of winning.
What a sucker !!
29
"The question is whether Kim is controllable."
China controls Kim Jong-un as effectively as the Constitution controls Trumph.
19
President Xi thinks big; Trump thinks about himself.
181
And Xi (like most leaders) think of the position of his country in 2035, while Trump is still thinking of defeating Hillary and undoing Obama's work.
No wonder Putin saw through him and gave him a hand.
Xi thinks zbout his country.
Trump couldn't care less about his.
The Moral-Historical success, uniqueness and legitimacy of the China Model are founded on two colossal historical achievements: First, prioritizing putting hundreds of millions out of the freedom to starve and be doomed to illiteracy (the antinomy of the India Model). Second, temporarily slowing on the nuclear strategic road to superpower-status and choosing economic development instead (China doesn’t possess a reliable “second-strike-capability” vs. a. vs. the U.S.).
The geopolitical manifestation of the different historical alternatives is striking: on America's side, an extremely expansive armada of 3-carrier strike groups sailing in the Western Pacific and strategically dominating the region (and the world); and on China's side, the Belt and Road project, Xi’s long-term initiative to take over the world by establishing and controlling the global system’s ways of connecting, trading and, derivatively, of governing.
Assuming no Trump's induced nuclear war, America isn’t going to lose soon its status as the economic global center and the leader in advanced sciences; and within five to ten years, China will establish a nuclear strategic equality with the two other nuclear Superpowers. By then, for humanity, the history-shaping “choice” won’t be between (armed) liberalism and (commercial) Leninism, but between the Realist road rattling with the deadly “Clash of Civilizations” and the Universalist way aimed for the establishment of a “Global Society”.
4
Observations here. Cohen makes another attempt for American intervention in globalism. Why? All other Western powers left the venture long ago. If there is an upcoming conflict in Lebanon, shouldn't the European Union be involved. That institution, pre-Brexit, has the population and GDP for engagement. More to the point, the incentive due to indubitable relocation of economic migrants. But inaction, other than that for mercantile gain, is the only outreach from that quarter. Australia-New Zealand: "Raw material depots" for the Chinese ascendancy. South Korea and Taiwan: Two nations reticent to antagonize the emerging Chinese superpower. Singapore: A former British enclave more concerned with replacement of Hong Kong as the financial capital of the Western Pacific Rim, than delving into regional security-freedom. Japan: Finally realizing the limitations of American good will, now embarking on individual security. But no outreach. Please identify the Western allies in this endeavor for global security, freedom and advancement of globalism? No, this likely moves in another direction. Conflict in Asia is probably inevitable. North Korea gets nuclear capability, Japan and South Korea follow. India already has it. Who next-Vietnam? It has a population and GDP far greater than North Korea. And there is China's unrecognized dilemma, never mentioned in Western discussion. Economic domination will force hostile regional neighbors to consider nuclear capability.
7
The essence of ‘controlling Kim Jong-Un, and working with ChIna, is to get past the idea that we want to invade or dominate anybody. America has it’s military over there to keep the North from attackIng the South. If the North dictatorship were suddenly to disappear, we have no plans to unify the peninsula by force, so China’s fear of a unified American opponent on its doorstep is a delusion left over from the Cold War.
Both China and America have all we can handle to just get our own development done correctly. If Kim Jong-un lost power, the first thing we would want to do is .give them something to eat, so that they could walk out of the prison they’ve been in for seventy years and build a life for themselves.
9
Trump is so utterly embarrassing in every respect. What more can be said that has not already been said? It makes one want to spit!
83
"[Do] not antagonize China because you’re playing with fire as you’re boosting the federal budget deficit...Playing with fire on the other side of the Pacific with your major creditors at the time when they are keeping the global economy going… is a very silly policy.”
— former Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufaki
54
Trump is decidedly not controllable. Trump’s advances to date have come with the support of a craven Congress so focused on mutual greed with the mercurial president that they are blinded.
The Chinese President doesn’t even seem to be on the same planet with Trump, let alone having left him in the dust. For a bully, Trump seems curiously unaware of how weak he is—and by extension, America.
I found it embarrassing how easily President Xi rolled our “leader.” The formula is so obvious: flatter the man, and the world is your oyster.
The contrast between Trump’s praise for China’s future and his China-baiting rhetoric during the campaign left many baffled, but eager to exploit.
Is the average American aware of how Donald Trump has ceded US leadership to China? Somehow I doubt it.
Trump’s performance and the country’s willingness to put their faith in a would-be real estate despot who finds himself leading the wrong country seem irrevocable.
Whether China cares about whether we care about them is moot—because the only thing that matters now is making sure the greatest number of countries get headed their way.
Funny: America’s only other authoritarian President opened up China while his evil twin just closed it.
211
Trump supporters will no doubt point to the continued growth of the U.S. economy as a sign of Trump's strength, a fact we both know is nothing but a mere coincidence. On the other hand, the Chinese continue to build upon their sturdy foundation through a blend of assertiveness and clever maneuvering, as the U.S. foundation increasingly shows its age, much like our own infrastructure. While these opposite trends may not have much of an impact in the short-term, there is little doubt Trump has caused enough damage to put the Chinese firmly ahead of us moving forward. While I would expect the U.S. to reclaim its place on the world stage before too long, to make up the ground lost is going to be a tall order.
And there-in lies the Trump trap that has already been set in motion. Do the failings of his presidency hurt him enough to prevent his reelection, or would they not fully be revealed until it is too late? Moreover, even if he should fail to win reelection or become impeached, thereby sealing the short-term fate of Republicans, could his failings proceed to hurt Democratic majorities in the years to follow?
Any way you choose to look at it, things do not look too promising in a future with or without Trump. These are scary times indeed.
China is very old. Their wisdom and culture causes them to think in time frames of centuries. We can't get past the next quarterly profits. China is an authoritarian state that is organized as a collective. Individual freedom is secondary to the needs of the state. America is 50 separate states that are in constant conflict with other and an individual ethos that pits one against all in the struggle for domination and profits. Both systems have large amounts of inequality. Both systems are riddled with corruption. Which is better suited for world domination?
Guess which animal is the most successful on this planet? The ants. There are as many ants in sheer tonnage as there are people. Ants have survived over 100 million years.
Ant societies more resemble China. We are more like top feeding predators. We are vulnerable to how much pray we can kill. When the prey gets used up, we get used up.
Yes we are powerful, but only so long as we can eat. China understands this vulnerability and is building a food chain that can sustain them. We just keep hunting for more stuff to consume. China operates more like an ant colony with central control, self sacrifice, and creation of sustenance. We keep stepping all over each other.
That's why China will win in the end. Liberty is truly wonderful, but it doesn't matter much if you get eaten alive by the ants. That's what China will do to us. Trump just laid out the sugar trail for them to follow.
266
This "ant analogy" is an insightful and truly correct comment and Bruce should be thanked for taking the time to post it here. Our country does not think in "long-game" terms and we will suffer in the extreme - slowly, over time - because of it.
Trump heads the list of stupid, hypocritical, non-leaders in power in America.
Sadly, this very insightful article by Roger Cohen will not get the readership it should as it will be buried beneath the explosive, more "attractive" news-of-the-day articles on Roy Moore, Trump's travel, etc.
5
Bravo Sir!
3
And who is responsible for China's rise to superpower status? According to many of our lawmakers, we can't have any relations with Cuba, but U.S. policy encouraged American corporations to abandon its workers and set up their businesses in China. And they were even given tax breaks for closing down plants in the U.S. and moving to China.
Jeff Faux: PNTR with China – Economic and Political Costs Greatly Outweigh Benefits (April 2000): http://www.epi.org/publication/briefingpapers_pntr_china/
“The cost of the proposed China trade pact is the permanent loss of control over trade relations with China.…Furthermore, the claimed geopolitical benefits of this trade agreement are less than credible. Given the United States’ recent experiences in Russia and Mexico, the assumption that the United States can identify the true Chinese ‘reformers,’ that these leaders will ultimately prevail in the political arena, and that the acceptance of an ever-widening trade imbalance will turn China into a democratic, free-market economy cannot be taken seriously.
“The U.S. relationship with China is likely to be complicated and difficult for as far into the future as we can see. To deny America its one non-military instrument of leverage in exchange for limited financial benefits that would go to a few multinational investors is a risky and irresponsible policy. The costs and dangers of this proposal substantially outweigh any potential gains for the United States.”
41
It will not be a war with Korea but something else will burst, feels Cassandra, troubled and with little peace of mind these days. A colleague returns from a humanitarian assignment in Asia, an honorable one, only to be told that she is being appointed next to The Middle East.
China keeps a sharp eye on North Korea, Russia plays chess and nibbles away at surrounding regions, while Syria in the grip of Assad. Iran stands on its own and should not be underestimated.
America goes internal, China takes the lead. The $1 trillion infrastructure endeavor, linking six Asian countries, is on its way. Saudi Arabia backs the Trump presidency, until he runs out of steam.
Japan remains on high alert, one of the most industrious nations on earth. Africa is being employed by China. Jobs are provided for laborers and this began over a decade ago. India is bidding its time when it comes to making an alliance. Europe, caught in the midst.
Trump does not have an original concept in mind. The G.O.P. is fragmented and weak. There is no stopping The Imperial Dragon who is busy shopping the merry-go-round of opportunities.
Children at the age of ten sense that something is not quite right in the air, without the use of words. An economic war between the two Superpowers may be on the table, and the next President of our Country might do well to give deliberation to The Trans-Pacific-Partnership, but it is probably too late as we retreat into a Policy of Isolationism.
111
Xi Jinping is 64 years old. In 2050 he’ll be 97, if he’s still vertical; and his consolidation of power in China doesn’t augur well for the next generation of Chinese leaders to consummate his vision of a 33-year plan. Consider that Trump, no spring-chicken himself at 71, may just realize this and not put a whole lot of faith in Xi’s “plan”. But people who call themselves “Socialists” always were enamored of plans that take decades to put in place (and have, without a single exception, failed dismally), unlike management consultants who know that any plan that takes more than a few years to execute is an excellent candidate for failure as events intrude to dramatically change priorities, transformational will, interests, people and the availability of resources.
Trump may have cause to be transactional with China, because Xi’s arc and that of his country could be massively skewed in just a few years; and Trump has a few objectives NOW – like neutralizing North Korea, like stabilizing trade and the various interests of contending nations in the South China Sea, and others where China could be helpful.
Roger sees Life, the Universe and Everything in freeze-frame, when in reality it’s an animated tapestry, constantly changing, and almost always characterized not by linear, predictable movement but by a fair measure of chaos.
China has Trump just where it wants him? Just who is the past master here at surviving, even prospering, within chaos? Xi? Or Trump?
3
The answer to the question of who is the past (and present) master is obviously Xi. Trump was the big loser of 2016. Even if he avoids prison he will go down in history as an ignorant, predatory bully, fully exposed for what he is, a weak-minded, easily manipulated sycophant toward the truly rich and powerful. Xi has wended his way to the top of the world's largest bureaucratic jungle.
16
In 2035 Xi will still be well in form mentally and physically and more than halfway in having identified the heir apparent for the 'final' stretch to 2050.
If current form is a prediction, for Trump the next few weeks/months might consign him to close quarters ranting on how great it may have been, if only 'they' had allowed him to do it.
4