China made a diplomatic protest to the Obama administration over the unprecedented phone call between Donald Trump and the President of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen. Since China does not recognize the fact that Taiwan is an independent country and not under its control and no other American administration since Nixon has officially recognized Taiwan as not being part of China. Mr. Trump has opened a small diplomatic breach which could get bigger.
Per the New York Times- Donald Trump is the first president since the Shanghai Communiqué who provides an opportunity to look fresh at the cross-strait relationship,” said Jon M. Huntsman Jr., who served as ambassador to China under President Obama. Mr. Huntsman was referring to the 1972 statement, issued after Nixon’s visit to China, which sharply constrained America’s dealings with Taiwan.
By just receiving the president of Taiwan’s phone call, Trump has not only turned United States diplomatic protocol on its head; he has angered the Chinese government. This is the same China that we the American public depend on for most if almost all of our consumer products plus a lot of industrial ones too.
Many that support Trump are applauding this move as being ground breaking. And Trump himself replied via Twitter about his talking to the Taiwanese president with the following two tweets, “Did China ask us if it was O.K. to devalue their currency (making it hard for our companies to compete), heavily tax our products going into their country (the U.S. doesn’t tax them) or to build a massive military complex in the middle of the South China Sea? I don’t think so!”
China has become more bellicose toward those who do not recognize their point of view that Hong Kong, Taiwan and Tibet are part of China. Just by talking to the president of a country that is independent of China (Taiwan) our President Elect has opened a can of worms that our diplomatic corps will have to smooth the ruffled feathers of a country that we can not well afford to offend at this time.
You have to remember that China has also invested heavily in US Bonds, real estate and companies. So the Chinese government does have leverage that it could use to negatively influence our country’s economy. I do hope that we do not end up in a pissing contest with China. Especially with a President that does not have the political experience to be able to make quick decisions that will not harm us, physically or economically!
That is my opinion- Jumpin Jersey Mike
