Trump’s China Visit: Barometer of Future Development
By MUHAMMAD MEHDI
US President Trump’ first visit to China is brimming with many undercurrents and significance. It seems to be a barometer to visualize numerous set of developments poised to be unleashed in future.
Trump came to power with the slogan of “America First”. To him, problems lied in drastic growth fall and unemployment swell which had direct relation to China.
In an effort to fix the problems, Trump heralded to ditch Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). He pulled the US out 2015 Paris Climate agreement. Measures were taken to revive US coal industry. All was done to boost up the US stumbling economy. Simultaneously, Chinese President Xi Jinping emerged as iconic leader in China. Putting Belt and Road Initiative and CPEC into action, he mapped out a plan to let China transcend from oceanic boundaries to lead the world. In the perspective of Xi Jinping, America keeps maneuvering with India, Japan and Australia to foment military threats to China particularly in South China Sea.
His strength firmed up more after his name got enshrined in the Party constitution during 19th CPC national congress. His invincible elevation denotes clearly that China has to pursue all policies for a longer time to be thrashed out him. During the course of CPC national congress, he put forth three concepts. They include that China has to be made a moderate socialist country with its own characteristics, its economy and society have to be moderated till 2035 and lastly China will become global leader in 2050.
At the time Trump had been visiting China, leadership of both countries had set their sights on such defining issues to figure out a way forward and new mode of mutual workability. Since long there had been overwhelming dogma that both countries used to negotiate their interests through security perspective. However, situation is a bit changed. Along with security parameters, economic progress and its disciplines have taken the center stage.
Economic and financial dynamics are so important that Trump’s delegation to China carried CEOs of 29 companies. The businessmen delegation toured China to benefit the US economy as they feared that if specific deals are not hammered out now, then Germany, France and the UK will capitalize the situation in China.
Major part of delegations represented those enterprises engaged with Agri and energy businesses. Some of them were Cheniere Energy that imports Shell Gas and Alaska Gas Development Corporation. The basic structure of delegation signifies the US intention that it may strive to sell gas and commodities but has no mood to talk on market accessibility and intellectual property rights. Despite all, tour helped carved out $ 250 billion trade agreements that are believed to be handy for Trump to project them as success. However, technically speaking China has made these agreements in line with its 2050 made-in-china policies. In the month of May during current year, China has already granted some incentives to the US companies in this regard to help America to mitigate its $ 347 billion trade deficit.
During the tour, Trump highlighted US-China trade imbalances in which US has been incurring financial damages. However instead of blaming China, he lashed out at his predecessors for the US deficit. In order to keep the US tour rejoicing, Xi Jinping announced to soften rules and regulations in banking, insurance and financial sectors.
The results of Trump’s tour to China may be evaluated in the light of speeches delivered by Trump and Xi Jinping during APEC summit where 21 economies thronged that constitutes 60 percent of world GDP.
In his speech, Donald Trump slammed World Trade Organization (WTO) and pinpointed the US trade deficit. He vowed not to tolerate all chronic trade abuses. He talked about less tariff and lower conditions offered by America that were not reciprocated by other countries. He supported protectionism. In response, Chinese President Xi Jinping articulated that wheel of globalization can never be reversed. “Shared economy means benefits to everyone,” he described.
So far though both are engaged with each other but their stances stay poles apart in spite of China tour and APEC summit. There is consensus on the point that cold war doctrine has been put to rest but it is to be analyzed whether we have been bracing for “economic war” or not.
Particularly in the context of CPEC, Pakistan seems to be vulnerable to various intriguing situations. What I suspect is not limited to my analysis rather majority of Chinese to who I discussed shared their views that they understand all CPEC related conspiracies being churned out by all directions. They believe that internal turmoil that has shaken up Pakistan is being engineered by those lobbies working against CPEC, flagship project of Belt and Road Initiative. In the continuation of anti-CPEC mischief, new wave of unrest is at full throttle in Balochistan. Violent anarchy on the basis of religion is a cruel tactic that may be sparked out in every corner of Pakistan to hurt advancement on CPEC.
Both China and Pakistan recognize well those trying to ferment chaos in Xinjiang, beginning of CPEC and Gawardar, Balochistan ending of CPEC. The Agent of Chaos including India and others are hell-bent to derail CPEC. American Think Tanks have been propagating that military dictatorships are imminent threat to democracy in Pakistan and situation may take abrupt turn at any time. Such environment of instability seems to be detrimental to progress on CPEC.
(Source: The Nation)
