Given Trump’s isolationist tendencies, Beijing may find consolation in the fact that Taiwan will have less backing to agitate again for independence. The cooling of temperatures across the Taiwan Straits will be welcomed not only in East Asia but worldwide as hot spots from Ukraine to Israel and its neighbours continue to rage.
The old proverb, “Hope springs eternal”, shows how human nature always finds fresh cause for optimism. This rings especially true as we go through winter and on to Jan 20, when Donald Trump moves back into the White House. For now, we probably will not have another riot on Capitol Hill as the Proud Boys and other Trump supporters celebrate a reverse of the 2020 election that they say was “stolen” by Joe Biden.
While many North Americans celebrated Thanksgiving last week, others, specifically Canadians and Mexicans, were threatened with 25% tariffs by Trump, who was in yet another public bluster, setting the stage for future negotiations. China, of course, is being similarly targeted. Already struggling yet again with the premature run in October turning cold, its markets probably have little room to fall from this point, with two-thirds of those gains already given back. Both locals and international investors are resigned to the realisation that the climb back is a long march, even as China faces trade skirmishes with Trump, which is not unlike Biden’s industrial policies.
