Trump may have just provoked a diplomatic incident with China

[babylonsister]

Who didn't see this coming?

http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/12/2/1606612/-Trump-may-have-just-provoked-a-diplomatic-incident-with-China?detail=facebook


Trump may have just provoked a diplomatic incident with China
By Laura Clawson
Friday Dec 02, 2016 · 5:05 PM EST


Donald Trump’s phone call with Tsai Ying-wen, the president of Taiwan, was not like other phone calls with foreign leaders, even by the appalling standard Trump has been setting so far:

The telephone call, confirmed by three people, is believed to be the first between a US president or president-elect and a leader of Taiwan since diplomatic relations between the two were cut in 1979.

Although it is not clear if the Trump transition team intended the conversation to signal a broader change in US policy towards Taiwan, the call is likely to infuriate Beijing which regards the island as a renegade province.

The Taiwanese president ran on a platform of independence from China, so Trump’s action here is likely to be especially provoking to Beijing. And then there's this, from November:

The mayor of Taoyuan confirmed rumors on Wednesday that US president-elect Donald Trumpwas considering constructing a series of luxury hotels and resorts in the northwest Taiwanese city.

A representative from the Trump Organization paid a visit to Taoyuan in September, expressing interest in the city's Aerotropolis, a large-scale urban development project aimed at capitalizing on Taoyuan's status as a transport hub for East Asia, Taiwan News reports.

Quite a record Trump is putting together:

But hey, he might become the first U.S. president to open a resort in Taiwan, and if that doesn’t contribute to American greatness, I don’t know what will.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

1. Oh well

No more Trump neckties

[elleng]

2. I REALLY do hope so!

[babylonsister]

4. I guess it would be a definite indication

he doesn't know what the hell he's doing, but that's pretty obvious. I don't know about making enemies from before the get-go. All that diplomacy down the tubes.

[exboyfil]

3. You know he will bore in and insist it was not a mistake

We just redefined our China policy for a generation.

[babylonsister]

6. Sigh. He's got a lot more countries to 'conquer'. nt

[MattP]

5. Trump bussiness before country

[grillo7]

7. And likely because he wants to open hotels there

This is the first serious impact of his massive conflicts of interest directly threatening global stability.

Yay.

[femmocrat]

8. Electoral College, Are you paying attention?

They need to stop him NOW.

[madaboutharry]

9. Huffington Post Headline: CODE RED..TRUMP CALLED TAIWAN

There are no adults around this guy. The entire Trump team is made up of amateurs and inexperienced no bodies or washed up no national stage has beens. He ignores the intelligence briefings and seems to just go with whatever idea pops into his head. No one around him says no or even knows when to say no.

Trump is a clear and present danger. Not only to the United States, but to the planet.

Imagine what is going on right now behind the scenes at The State Department and in The Oval Office.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com

[babylonsister]

10. A clear and present danger-that's just about the perfect description. nt

[dixiegrrrrl]

27. ved Pres. Obama out of the Oval Office..

Hopefully he got a bunch of repub. congress folks ticked off, too.

[kentuck]

11. Wow!

He doesn't have the decency to stop making deals long enough to be the President of the United States. Wow!

[madaboutharry]

12. Watch Rachel Maddow and Lawrence O'Donnell tonight.

Surely, they will have much to say about this tonight. If not, I would be disappointed.

[spanone]

13. he's fucking insane. he has no clue what he could be doing. goddammit!!!!!

he's not the fucking president....YET.

[liberal N proud]

14. At this rate, he will start WW III on day one.

[kentuck]

15. Nobody has the balls to talk to him.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-calls-taiwan_us_5841f96be4b017f37fe4bcae

<snip>
On Friday, Trump also spoke to Rodrigo Duterte, the newly elected president of the Philippines. Since taking office, Duterte has encouraged the extra-judicial murder of hundreds of people accused of dealing drugs, and he has suggested that journalists deserve to be assassinated.

In response to the alarm raised by Trump’s phone calls, White House press secretary Josh Earnest on Thursday delicately urged Trump to seek out advice from career diplomats at the State Department. “President Obama benefited enormously from the advice and expertise that’s been shared by those who serve at the State Department,” he told reporters at the daily press briefing.

“I’m confident that as President-elect Trump takes office, those same State Department employees will stand ready to offer him advice as he conducts the business of the United States overseas. Hopefully he’ll take it.”

Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy (Conn.) was more direct with his criticism. “What has happened in the last 48 hours is not a shift. These are major pivots in foreign policy w/out any plan. That’s how wars start,” Murphy tweeted on Friday. “And if they aren’t pivots - just radical temporary deviations - allies will walk if they have no clue what we stand for. Just as bad. It’s probably time we get a Secretary of State nominee on board. Preferably w experience. Like, really really soon.”

more at link

[Baitball Blogger]

16. Remember that "carpet of bombs" incident

That allegedly ocurred prior to 9/11? What can we do to remind Trump that this has happened before with bad results.

[spanone]

17. CNN Breaking News: (CNN)President-elect Donald Trump spoke with the President of Taiwan on Friday...

(CNN)President-elect Donald Trump spoke with the President of Taiwan on Friday, according to a statement from his transition team, in a move that threatens to trigger a diplomatic showdown with China even before he takes office.

The move, which is certain to incense China, which considers the nationalist island to be a renegade province, is the first major sign of the "unpredictability" that Trump has vowed to bring to US relations with the rest of the world.

"President-elect Trump spoke with President Tsai Ing-wen of Taiwan, who offered her congratulations. During the discussion, they noted the close economic, political, and security ties exists between Taiwan and the United States. President-elect Trump also congratulated President Tsai on becoming President of Taiwan earlier this year."

Trump's conversation marks the first publicly reported call between a US President or President-elect and the leader of Taiwan since Washington established diplomatic relations with Beijing in 1979, said Bonnie Glaser, a China expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/02/politics/donald-trump-taiwan/index.html?adkey=bn

nytimes: Trump Speaks With Taiwan’s Leader, Likely Upsetting China

WaPo: Trump speaks with Taiwan’s president in major break with U.S. policy on China

[monmouth4]

18. And President Obama just got thirty more gray hairs. OMG, not even sworn in yet..n/t

[spanone]

19. trump has no idea what he hell he's doing. this is frightening. everyone should be scared.

[monmouth4]

20. I'm usually a calm and collected person but I am frightened also..n/t

[kentuck]

31. Isn't that treason?

He does not seem to be in the legal position to talk with these people yet?

[spanone]

33. i'll bet the chinese diplomats are scrambling their asses off....

interesting video here: http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/02/politics/donald-trump-taiwan/index.html

[Initech]

21. He doesn't give a fuck and it shows!

Donald Trump is going to be the catalyst for World War III if we're not careful.

[roamer65]

22. Good. Maybe it will make the EC do their job.

[greatauntoftriplets]

23. I have a friend traveling in China right now.

I hope there are no repercussions for Americans visiting China.

[kentuck]

24. And he isn't even the President yet...

..and he's calling all these leaders around the world, trying to make business deals?

President Obama is still the President until January 20th.

Is this legal? Is this sedition? What is it?

[spanone]

30. i think most rational president-elects have coordinated any contact through the state dept.

not fucking trump....nbc nighly news said the Obama admin. wasn't even aware of it.

HOLY SHIT!

he's insane

[trof]

25. Yeah, well, we might as well get used to this.

The guy doesn't have a clue about what he's gotten into.

[pbmus]

26. Banana republic

[Ghost OF Trotsky]

28. With all due respect

why the heck shouldn't he?

I don't care for the opinions of some other country in the slightest when it comes to who we have any kind of relations with.

Not that I like the guy, obviously, but what the hell business of China's is it who the president of the US calls?

I don't like the idea of diplomatic relations being cut between *ANY* nations any more than would give a rat's ass if someone said "Don't talk to those people" or "Don't do business with them"; my response would be *FU*.

anybody should be able to say anything to anyone.

[JonLP24]

29. I agree

[kentuck]

32. Wall Street is shittin' bricks.

If China closes their doors somewhat to American business. At least , Trump will have his resort hotels in Taiwan...

[gulliver]

35. So then China invades Taiwan to keep it from becoming U.S. controlled, and?

[suegeo]

34. Our smooth transition into chaos is going great!

Someone stop this fascist - please

[philosslayer]

38. He's crazy and clueless

Talking to Taiwan? What will the Chinese think. And do? Madness!!

[Nevernose]

36. Quickly world leaders will realize he's a buffoon

Fairly soon it will be impossible (or at least harder) for him to actually cause any incidents. People on the world stage are still taking him seriously -- he IS the president elect, after all, and on paper has a narrative of being a brilliant businessman -- but soon the rest of the world will learn to ignore the orange clown.

The next four years are going to be so humiliating for Americans.

[babylonsister]

37. How will they ignore him and that title?

I agree about the humiliating part, but he's dangerous. I want him gone; I imagine a lot of people do.

[Nevernose]

39. I just mean

That right now, people not as familiar with Trump might actually be taking him seriously. Like the Chinese, for instance, not realizing that Trump is a moronic lunatic who has no concept of what he's doing or even why he's doing it.

They'll quickly start ignoring the diplomatic disasters because they'll realize that Trump isn't playing diplomacy. He's incapable of subtlety and too dumb to understand damn near anything.

So my guess is that word will get around that Pence, Bannon, and the State Department are the only ones worth talking to or to take seriously. Trump will be like that dementia-addled uncle everyone else just nods and smiles at.