8/8/2019

CHINA/FOREIGN POLICY/TRADE DEALS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “In the past week, President Donald Trump has described China’s trade practices as ‘an anchor on us,’ saying Beijing is ‘killing us’ and wants to ‘hurt’ U.S. jobs. Yet as Chinese officials increasingly hint at a potentially violent crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong, Trump has remained largely silent. The bifurcated approach is just the latest example of what former U.S. officials and analysts say are Trump’s transactional approach to foreign policy and comfort with authoritarian rule. Even though the president’s own aides are sending a more forceful message on situations like the Hong Kong protests, they add, it’s a message that will inevitably get lost amid Trump’s comments — or lack thereof… His supporters point out that Trump, when asked about Hong Kong in early July, said the protesters are ‘looking for democracy. And I think most people want democracy.’ But Trump later drew flak for saying Xi had ‘acted responsibly’ in handling the protests, for calling the demonstrations ‘riots’ and for saying the issue is ‘between Hong Kong and China.’”

Nahal Toosi, “Trump is harsh on China, except when it comes to democracy,” Politico, August 8, 2019 5:03 am