Trump speaks to Taiwan:
"In an extraordinary and perhaps unprecedented break
with decades of U.S. foreign policy and diplomatic protocol, President-elect
Donald Trump spoke to Taiwan President Tsai Ying-wen on 12/2. The US cut official diplomatic ties with
Taiwan in 1979 after recognizing the communist government in Beijing as the
sole legitimate government of both China and the breakaway republic. No U.S.
president (or president-elect) has had formal contact with a Taiwanese head of
state since, though the two countries maintain an unofficial relationship.
According to a spokesperson for the Trump transition team, he and President
Tsai discussed the "close economic, political, and security ties"
between the two countries. The call will likely anger China — China considers
the divorced island a territory; President Tsai is pro-independence — and
could possibly provoke a response. The incoming administration will probably
face new challenges as it tries to cultivate a relationship with the rising
global power, especially in light of Trump's campaign promise to withdraw from the TPP."
Might this cause a disturbance in the force? Yes, it will.
However, we may find, at the end of the day, China is a lot more smoke and mirrors than the economy it pretends to be. Numbers inflated, doled out like condoms at Planned Parenthood, by the Chinese government. We may yet see change! There may yet be hope in China.
We pretend an awful lot. Maybe we should stop.
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