Donald Trump made so many mistakes it’s difficult to know where to begin. His first one was the composition of his delegation. It was another Billionaire’s Bash, just like his inauguration. There was not a single bona fide China policy or history expert in the delegation, no one who could articulate the global challenge that China is presenting to the United States. That created the appearance that the Americans were just interested in deals, i.e. making money. Everything else was secondary.
From having served in Beijing with United Press International (1981-82), I know the Chinese have many ways of signalling their attitude toward a visiting dignitary. The first signal they sent to Trump on his visit was that Xi Jinping did not personally go to the airport to meet him. In Chinese terms, that was a snub. Trump didn’t seem to notice or care.
Trump’s personal style was also embarrassing. Xi stuck to a carefully cultivated script and behavioral code. He was disciplined and dignified. Trump did things like pat Xi’s hand while they were shaking hands and tried to use his charm to win points. He even said Xi was doing a good job, as if the leader of China’s Communist Party needs validation. Trump came across as the supplicant who wanted something.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the Americans did not respond to Xi’s blunt warnings about American support for Taiwan. Xi used extremely tough language to threaten dire consequences. Trump apparently did not say anything publicly in response. Maybe not even privately. That creates the possible impression that Trump is willing to trade Taiwan for deals with China, deals that win him votes back home and help him escape the Iranian nightmare. Even the slightest hint that Trump will pull back in any way from the arms deals with Taiwan creates a vacuum. It creates doubt in the minds of every U.S. ally in the region. That is corrosive. It was not a positive journey.
