Trump's visit to Asia and impact on China

Mohammed Issam Laaroussi China Plus Published: 2017-11-07 11:39:00
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Dr MOHAMMED Issam Laaroussi  

There is no doubt that Trump`s strategic tour to five Asian nations strives to fulfill his foreign policy agenda in the region. Following the proverb “When the American Presidents want to give a big speech in a public square, they go to Europe. When they want feel-good photos surrounded by adorable children, they go to Africa. And when they want to do business, they go to Asia”. The business motivations might be one of the main drivers behind Trump’s highly publicized trip. However, the security threats and the concerns arise from the general slip in American hegemony cannot be ignored. 

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (L) welcomes visiting U.S. President Donald Trump in Tokyo, capital of Japan, on Nov. 6, 2017. [Photo: Xinhua]

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (L) welcomes visiting U.S. President Donald Trump in Tokyo, capital of Japan, on Nov. 6, 2017. [Photo: Xinhua]

Trump`s rhetoric in Japan has explained the American prodigious defense commitment toward Tokyo, the U.S strategic partner. Following a layover in Pearl Harbor to visit the U.S. Navy's Pacific Command, his first international destination in Japan was arguably justified by a special interest conferred to the threat coming from North Korea as he urges Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to invest for more U.S. missile defense systems. Japan is ranked number seven in the world for defense spending, and it relies heavily on U.S. equipment. Trump`s visit could be beneficial for the U.S economy in terms of new arms trade agreements with the Japanese government.     

The highlight of Trump's trip is sure to be his November 8-9 trip to Beijing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Like Abe, Xi is also riding high on the wings of domestic political triumph, in Xi's case the fruitful conclusions of the once-in-five-years National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The top item on Xi's agenda is likely to be North Korea. More importantly the question to arise is: Will November 2017 mark the moment the United States ceded leadership in the Asia-Pacific Region to China because Trump lacks the experience and conceptual ability to think strategically rather than transnationally?

Trump’s contempt for free trade agreements, bilateral or otherwise, has opened the door to President Xi Jinping to take the high road as a proponent of globalization and an opponent of protectionism. Trump continue to argue that there are plenty of arrows in his economic quiver to bring an intractable China to ground. At the informal summit in Mar-a-Lago earlier this year between Trump and Xi, the two leaders agreed to hold bilateral discussions on trade and economic issues. These discussions have made little progress.

The U.S, boosted by its partners, Japan, Australia, South Korea, New Zealand, India and Singapore, is still not confident and able to contain the security threats coming from North Korea. Trump can claim credit for gaining UN Security Council resolutions, for imposing tough new sanctions on North Korea, and for assembling allies and elements of the international community behind UN sanctions. However, he has not given sanctions a chance to take hold. Moreover, China remains the key major power in the Asia-Pacific region recompensing the American declining position. China has inaugurated an era of successful openness, domestically and internationally without any fears about the future of the U.S leadership.

Trump’s visit to Asia offers a unique chance to promote a strategy to guide the American commitment in the region diplomatically, politically, economically, and militarily. The word rebalanced explains the American diplomacy engagement to redress geopolitical priorities in Asia, inspiring regional states to follow American leadership. If Trump continues to depict the United States as a victim of Chinese influence, Trump will have effectively agreed to the leadership of Xi Jinping in the eyes of Southeast Asian states and signaled that the post-war era of U.S. primacy is rapidly drawing to a close. It does little good for the United States to overpass China in military power if there is no leadership and strategy to use all elements of national power to strengthen a rules-based regional and global order.

In sum, Trump`s visit to Asia is considered as a pragmatic endeavor, firstly to bridge the gap with China in terms of economic ties. Secondly, to come up with a proactive security approach that is able to guarantee a security and safety for its partners. Thirdly, Trump is attempting to juggle China`s role as a potential major power, as China`s influence becomes a relevant fact. A rebalancing strategy in Asia was one of American foreign policy`s pillars, based on China and the United States commitment to expanding economic, political, and security cooperation wherever possible. But rebalance for China means merely an American “containment” by another name. Supporting a collaborative diplomatic process is more likely the best driver of Trump`s policy in Asia taking into consideration the current geopolitical fact that China is a major power in the Asia-Pacific region.

(Dr. Mohammed ISSAM LAAROUSSI is a professor of international relations based in United Arab Emirates)

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Mohammed Issam Laaroussi Dr. Mohammed Issam Laaroussi is a Senior Researcher and lecturer at Trends Research & Advisory, Academic and professional writer in different media outlets. Laaroussi has previously worked as senior Analyst at the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR), Abu Dhabi, Lecturer in the American University of Leadership, Rabat, Morocco and has served as a Senior Officer of Morocco’s police department, Interior Ministry. His areas of expertise are International Law, Management of International Organizations, National Security Approaches, and Foreign Policy Analysis, Crisis Management, and Geostrategic studies, Terrorism Affairs, Leadership and Governance. Mr Laaroussi holds a PhD in International Relations as well as an MA in security and defense studies. Lin Shaowen A radio person, Mr. Lin Shaowen is strongly interested in international relations and Chinese politics. As China is quite often misunderstood in the rest of the world, he feels the need to better present the true picture of the country, the policies and meanings. So he talks a lot and is often seen debating. Then friends find a critical Lin Shaowen criticizing and criticized. Xu Qinduo Xu Qinduo is CRI's former chief correspondent to Washington DC, the United States. He works as the producer, host and commentator for TODAY, a flagship talk show on current affairs. Mr. Xu contributes regularly to English-language newspapers including Shenzhen Daily and Global Times as well as Chinese-language radio and TV services. Luo Yu Luo Yu is a freelance writer, CRI's former co-host of RoundTable, discussing the hottest social issues in China. He was also former producer and host of Biz Buzz, a weekly business program which includes exclusive interviews with global business and political leaders. Former guests include former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, former Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Nobel Laureate in Economics Pro. Thomas Sargent. Luo Yu holds a MSc. Finance and Investment, a MSc. Management Science and Operational Research, a BSc in Biology and a BBA in Business Administration. Luo Yu loves exploring new opportunities. His boldest move might be when he switched from engineering to broadcasting. It’s a move he considers to be the wisest decision he's ever made. Sina Weibo: @CRI罗煜 Email: louie23@126.com Michael P. Toothman Michael P. Toothman is a Los Angeles-based speaker, educator, Sinophile, and expert on Leadership, Communication, and Project Management. He teaches for the University of California, Riverside and has mentored and trained over 3,500 leaders from over 1,000 companies in 25 countries. Jonathan Rechtman Jonathan Rechtman is a Chinese-English conference interpreter, entrepreneur, writer and public speaker. Based in China for over a decade, he has interpreted for multiple presidents and prime ministers, Fortune 500 CEOs, Hollywood stars, Nobel prize winners, and a princess. He is the co-founder at Cadence Translate, an on-demand translation solution for multinational corporates and investors. Sara Hsu Sara Hsu is an associate professor from the State University of New York at New Paltz. She is a regular commentator on Chinese economy. Shafei Moiz Hali Dr. Shafei Moiz Hali studied at George Mason University, Virginia, USA and specialized in the field of International Commerce and Policy. He did his PhD from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China specializing in Chinese foreign policy focusing on the Belt and Road Initiative and energy issues. Currently Dr. Hali is working as an Assistant Professor with the Faculty of Contemporary Studies, National Defence University (NDU) Islamabad, Pakistan.