Posted on 12/03/2016 5:00:49 PM PST by mdittmar
President-elect Donald Trump on Friday broke with decades of U.S. diplomatic tradition in speaking with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, a seemingly innocuous call that started the relationship between two of the world's greatest powers on the wrong foot.
Trump's call, and the ensuing debate over its meaning, created an initial furor on both sides of the Pacific. Tsai's Democratic Progressive Party makes Beijing uncomfortable because of its official stance that Taiwan is independent and sovereign, rather than an extension of mainland China—the government's position that underpins the "One China" policy.
Yet foreign policy experts think the fallout on U.S.-Sino relations will be limited. Beijing is likely to attribute the move to inexperience — even as elements of the U.S.-Taiwan call were unorthodox in more ways than one.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnbc.com ...
Trump and the Taiwan Call
Scott Adams’ Blog ^ | December 3, 2016 | Scott Adams
Posted on 12/3/2016, 5:10:54 PM by 2ndDivisionVet
By now you know that President Elect Trump took a call from the President of Taiwan and simultaneously lit on fire the underpants of the mainstream media and maybe the leadership of China too.
Apparently taking a phone call from the president of Taiwan is a major diplomatic change from the so-called “One China Policy” that imagines Taiwan as a rogue province of China, not its own country. Reports are saying this call was planned, not a mistake on the Trump team’s side.
Was this a mistake by Trump?
If you look at this call through the filter of normal politics it is clearly a mistake. It provokes the Chinese leadership and gains nothing obvious in return. The media is reporting this event as exactly the sort of thing that leads to nuclear annihilation. This is the same mainstream media that got everything wrong about Trump for the past year.
But if you look at this situation through the filter of a Master Persuader, it makes perfect sense. Trump is “setting the table” for future negotiations with China. He just subtracted something from China’s brand that they value, and later he will negotiate with them to maybe give it back in some fashion. Probably in return for some trade concessions.
But what about the risk? Does it ever make sense to poke a nuclear power? In this case, probably yes. As I have said in this blog before, China’s leadership is both mature and competent. Many of them have engineering degrees. They understand what Trump is doing, and none of it is a path to war because neither side has any interest in war. None. Zero.
I can imagine some scenarios in which China and the U.S. might dangerously escalate toward war, but one friendly call to a major trading partner isn’t one of the scenarios.
But why take that call now? Shouldn’t Trump have cleared this with Obama, or waited until he was President?
No. Because the Obama administration would have advised him not to do it. And waiting until January is the way old politics is done. This sort of bold, rapid action is evidently what Trump wants you to think is his brand as president. The Taiwan call is consistent with the New CEO Play that I described in this post. He’s setting the tone as bold, effective, and not waiting for red tape to slow him down.
Don’t worry about China going to war over a phone call. They understand Trump, in part because they read my blog too. And look at the brilliance of China’s diplomatic response. Their Foreign Minister labelled the phone call, “a shenanigan by the Taiwan side.“ That is exquisite diplomatic framing, Master Persuader-style. You can see why China and Trump respect each other; they both earned it.
Mutual respect is a safe place to be. Relax. Adults are in charge.
—
You might like reading my book because I won’t take a call from the President of Taiwan no matter how often she asks.
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http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3501175/posts
CNBCBS. China definitely does not regard DJT a rookie or they would have to regard the USA as a rookie on the political scene.
FCNBC.
Irritating the Chicoms is long overdue.
It should have happened the moment the Chicoms starting building those islands. The kenyan has let them get away with murder. No more.
Excellent summary of what happened and is happening.
“It’s a message.
No more Communist China.
Reagan got rid of the Soviets, time to get rid of the ChiComs.
The hysteria surrounding this sounds exactly like when Reagan said the USSR was an evil empire.
Reagan was stupid, or naive, didn’t understand delicate diplomacy etc...”
Yep.
Since when does another country tell OUR PRESIDENT who they can receive calls from?
Get the popcorn - This is gonna be a fun 4-8 years -
They soon find out they’re no longer dealing with a noodle like Obama.
Trump doesn’t need permission from China to call Taiwan. He doesn’t need the approval of the presstitutes either.
Idiots.
They called him.
Thanks for posting this Scott Adams blog.
Makes perfect sense, and is along the same line of thinking I had regarding this matter.
Trumps detractors are so blinded by their belief that he is a buffoon, that never stop to consider that it is they who are behind the curve.
Dear Christine,
We forgive you for your rookie mistake.
In time you will understand and learn how to cover Trump.
map
ROOKIE MISTAKE???? SCREW YOU! THIS PRESIDENT CAN SPEAK WITH WHOEVER HE WANTS TO! CHINA DOES NOT DICTATE TO US!!! NOT ANY MORE!!
Not a nice thing to say about noodles lol.
He received the call.
It’s so typical .. the LEFT cannot believe that anybody would call to congratulate Trump .. so Trump MUST have called them.
That’s how illogically they think.
And .. that is why they make things up.
Sure, if the ChiComs need to save face... whatever.
I would be happy if a lot of countries initially think he is making rookie mistakes, as long as behind the scenes he and his A-team are 10 steps ahead.
So would I. I don’t believe he will make any “rookie” mistakes but I also think he will take a lot of steps that seem that way or perhaps not logical. He and his team know what they are doing. He said he was going to be unpredictable.
As long as everyone underestimates him we are good. :)
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