Trump : claims Xi won’t act on Taiwan and connects China’s attitude to oil and nuclear weapons
Trump: Chinese President Xi Jinping will not act against Taiwan while he is in office, according to US President Donald Trump, who claims that Beijing is being restrained by American military might, economic clout, and personal deterrence.
The transcript of Trump’s interview with The New York Times, which he made, was made public on Sunday.
When asked whether China might use the same reasoning that Washington used in Venezuela to move against Taiwan, Trump said, “I don’t think he’s going to do it with me as president.”
Although he admitted that Xi saw Taiwan as a part of China and described it as “a source of pride” for the Chinese leader, Trump insisted that he had made it plain that he opposed any such action. He said that such action was more possible “after we have a different president.” “I’ve expressed to him that I would be very unhappy if he did that,” he said.
Trump said that China does not face the dangers he used to support US engagement, rejecting claims that US actions elsewhere may create a precedent. “People weren’t flooding into China.” He contrasted the scenario with what he characterized as challenges confronting the United States, saying, “You didn’t have drugs pouring into China.”
China and Russia are not worried about NATO “other than us,” according to Trump, who frequently characterized deterrence as a function of force and leadership rather than international organizations throughout the conversation. “We’re tremendously feared because of the fact that I built the military,” he said, attributing the restoration of American dominance to US military expenditures under his direction.
Along with linking China to impending nuclear weapons control choices, the president said that he thinks Beijing might be included in future talks even as the current US-Russian deal is about to expire. Trump claimed to have discussed nuclear limitations with Xi personally and to believe that China “would be a willing participant” in a more comprehensive agreement.
Regarding the present treaty, Trump said that “if it expires, it expires” and that he would rather have “a new agreement that’s much better.” “China hasn’t really said anything about it,” he added, conceding that Beijing has openly opposed participating in such negotiations, but he insisted that Beijing may eventually be a part of a future agreement.
Trump said that the US’s control over supply channels gave Washington economic strength and referred to energy as a strategic weapon against China. Presenting control over energy flows as an extension of American power, he said that China could only purchase oil “from us there or in the United States.”
In response to inquiries, Trump said that leadership, power, and force determine results on the international scene. “My personal ethics. My own thoughts. When asked what limits his acts abroad, he said, “It’s the only thing that can stop me.”
He said that this calculus is understood by China. Referring to recent US military operations, Trump said of Xi, “He was impressed.” He insisted that human connections and strength, not just treaties, are what keep things from becoming worse.