Posted on 12/03/2016 5:10:54 PM PST 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.
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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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How many other foreign nations have called to congratulate President-elect Trump????
There have been several...
China strongly objected, but in 2015 the Obama administration authorized a $1.83 billion weapons sale to Taiwan and made the first U.S. arms shipment to the island in four years.
It was primarily defensive weapons, weapons to protect from China. It included two U.S. Navy guided Oliver Hazard Perry class missile frigates, amphibious assault vehicles, and anti-aircraft and anti-ship systems.
And yet, Democrats are having a cow over a phone call. The rules are ALWAYS different for Democrats.
They know that, take advantage of it, and then either deny or downplay it. They are two faced slimes.
The real Chinese (under the leadership of Chiang Kai-shek) fled the mainland in 1945 to Taiwan when the communist (with the help of Russia’s Joseph Stalin) defeated the nationalist.
Hence, the people living in Taiwan are the REAL Chinese, and mainland China is in fact the renegade province.
Trump should be dealing exclusively with the Taiwanese over the communist filth in mainland China.
Addtionally Trump could use Taiwan as leverage to slow down China’s adventurism in the South China sea.
Trump
supports good models, not size for its sake
Mainland China should be absorbed by the Taiwan model, and not the other way
Let’s see, Obama did several things that were not according to existing protocol. It began with a bow and apology to certain world leaders. So that was a stick in the eye to American citizens. It built from there like exing the CEO of GM and rooking the shareholders. Israel has been totally disrespected and also the British. So, the media is on the wrong side as usual.
Maybe Trump could offer Taiwan statehood and then if China took hostile actions it would be an act of war and China knows Trump would not hesitate to give them a big, HUUUUGE bloody nose.
.
What????
He violated the Carter principle??
(deal only with our enemies, insult our friends)
.
“Addtionally Trump could use Taiwan as leverage to slow down China’s adventurism in the South China sea.”
That’s the strategic play and a perfect counter to China’s claims over the entire South China Sea...and deep into the Malay/Indonesian islands. And north to Okinawa.
US owned and operated weapon systems in Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines is good.
Every year over $5 TRILLION in trade passes through the South China Sea and China insists, that while they will not block transit, everyone must ask their permission to do so.
This is why we have a US Navy. And Air Force.
The whole ‘One China’ policy is absurd. Maybe it made sense in the early 50’s but it doesn’t now and it didn’t in the 70’s either when Nixion went to Communist China, opened diplomatic relations and had Taiwan (remnants of Nationalist China) expelled from United Nations.
They should be treated as two separate countries. We have a North & South Korea, and we had an East & West Germany. Still working on the former but the later worked out in the end.
In the meantime, there is no reason why we cannot deal with two Chinas. Of course it will be the people of Communist China as it was in East Germany and for a while in China (Tiananmen Square) who confect the change.
Dear flavius,
In the struggle of Chang Kia-shek vs. Mao Tse Tung, there was a small thing called the Quemoy Conflict, of which the U.S. was involved.
We had recognized the island Formosa, which is now named Taiwan, because it was formed as a free democracy, flying in the face of Communist China.
With the elections of those who could stand up to Soviet Russia, but wanted nothing to do with the Communist Chinese, we, asa nation, lost touch.
It seems to me that Donald Trump, as a private citizen (which he still is), can call up anyone he damn well pleases.
Trump didn’t call the President of Taiwan, the President of Taiwan called him and he accepted the call.
It will be refreshing to have a US President who speaks to whomever he wants without asking permission. Scott Adams is right again — this is a good move to give the Chinese something low-value to whine about. The Left thinks its brilliant to give them concessions for oppressing their own people less.
If Donald Trump had not accepted the call, the left's talking point would be: "Donald Trump has insulted and offended one of our most important allies in the far east."
It hopefully will send a few shivers through the chinese elite telling them we ain’t scared of you no more so straighten up.
Anything that sets the underpants of the MSM and China on fire is a good thing.
But has China read his book?
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