Trumps tries to contain China

China lodged a formal complaint with the U.S. over President-elect Donald Trump’s call with Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen on Saturday by saying that it was against the “one China” policy. The call is the first time a U.S. president has directly spoken with Taiwan’s leadership in 37 years. The U.S. suspended formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan in 1979 and established diplomatic channels with China. Mr. Trump’s office said the two leaders had noted the close economic, political, and security ties between Taiwan and the U.S., indicating that the conversation between the two leaders was far more than just offering congratulations.

　

China infuriated. It is likely that there will be a growing tension between Beijing and Washington. But Mr. Trump was sarcastic about China’s reaction and he tweeted on Friday, “Interesting how the U.S. sells Taiwan billions of dollars of military equipment but I should not accept a congratulatory call.” He also tweeted Sunday, “Did China ask us if it was OK to deval‎ue their currency (making it hard for our companies to compete), heavily tax our products going into their country (the US doesn’t tax them) or to build a massive military complex in the middle of the South China Sea? I don’t’ think so!” His tweets strongly indicated that the US would reestablish the relations between the two countries.

It is said that Mr. Trump is seriously considering John Bolton for the Secretary of State. The former U.S. ambassador to the UN was known to take a hardline stance on China. Stephen Yates, Trump transition adviser and researcher of the Heritage Foundation plans to visit Taiwan on Tuesday to meet the Taiwanese leader. Trumps once said that China was responsible for the trade deficit of the U.S., questioned over its illegal export subsidies and he would label the country as a currency manipulator and impose tariffs up to 45 percent on imports from China during his presidential campaign. Of course, China would not just sit by and watch. We cannot deny the possibility of being involved in such heightened tension between the two countries over issues with the South China Sea, trade, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) deployment in Korea. If Mr. Trump is not just poking China but strengthens relations with Taiwan, China may react to support North Korea in response to this.

It is very likely that Korea is asked to make unwanted decisions in between the two countries as their tension is growing. If China has taken a step back from the UN resolution imposing sanctions against the North, its nuclear issue would not be resolved forever. We need to be ready for promptly coping with changing circumstances of the Korean Peninsula caused by Trump’s highly unpredictable “America First” approach.

eligius@donga.com