Trump Goes To China

Writes Moon of Alabama:

This week U.S. President Donald Trump is going to China.

His larger plan had been to take Venezuela, Iran and their oil before pressing China, via tariffs and energy restrictions, to concede to U.S. hegemony.

That plan has failed. Trump has lost two wars. His tariff schemes ended in retreat after China restricted the export of its rare earth products. His war on Iran has is one big failure.

Trump is coming to Beijing with his cap in his hand. He, as usual, will try to bluff a way to ‘victory’. He will proceed as if the U.S. were in a great position. The Chinese will be polite, but won’t have any of it.

There have been little preparations for the trip. The sherpas did not convene beforehand to straighten out serious issues between the countries. There are no big contracts or treaties to sign.

Trump will want to sell soybeans and Boeing airplanes. The Chinese are only mildly interested in any such deals. They may sign some contracts to give Trump something to boast about. But they will hedge their deals as the U.S. is known to be a unreliable partner.

Trump will want support for making peace (on U.S. conditions) with Iran. There will be some solemn and wise responses to that.

It is in Chinese interest to see the U.S. bogged down in the Middle East. Any U.S. airplane, ship, gun and soldier in the Middle East is one less to worry about in east Asia. Any munition fired against Iran can not be used against China.

China does not want Iran to lose the war. It will support it, as it already does, wherever needed.

Trump is hauling a bunch of money men with him. A big hope for U.S. financial interest is to open the Chinese (consumer) markets for their virtual ‘products’. But, as President Xi has said, ‘houses are for living’. Communist ideology does not allow for such crap.

A major point of interest on the Chinese side is Taiwan. Beijing wants to finally end the Chinese civil war and for that Taiwan must rejoin the country. U.S. weapon sales to Taiwan and its political agitation are a hindrance to that.

But Taiwan is a big issue in Congress. Some minor verbal commitments on not furthering Taiwan independence may be all Trump can give.

The U.S. wants China to sign on to some rumored about Board of Trade. The U.S. is trying to install such bi-lateral forums to replace the UN, WTO and other international organizations. Like the Board of Peace in Palestine, the Board of Trade wont solve any issues. But as it will not cost China anything to join it will agree to it to keep Trump happy.

To keep Trump happy may well be the sole reason why China has agreed to the meeting.

The Best of Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr.