Pages

Search This Blog

Monday, March 20, 2017

What the Trump Presidency Means for China

https://www.lawfareblog.com/what-trump-presidency-means-china

Hard National Security Choices

What the Trump Presidency Means for China

By Taisu Zhang
Monday, March 20, 2017
Prior to the 2016 U.S. Election, commentators generally thought that a Trump presidency would be a double-edged sword for the Chinese leadership: on one hand, his brand of crass populism might do severe damage to American soft power, harming traditional American alliances both across the globe and specifically in the Asia-Pacific, and thereby strengthening China’s geopolitical position.  On the other, he might challenge China over trade and international investment, potentially creating serious problems for an already unsteady Chinese economy.  Moreover, his unpredictable and volatile personality might lead to unwanted escalation in the South China Sea, or, even worse, over Taiwan.  Official Chinese media outlets were careful not to take sides prior to the election, but in private, officials seemed wary of the instability that Trump could bring.  Incendiary rhetoric issued by Trump and his senior advisors during the post-election transition heightened tensions and frayed nerves, leading to an enormous amount of hand-wringing in Chinese policy circles. https://www.lawfareblog.com/what-trump-presidency-means-china

No comments: