Something is "very, very wrong" in Beijing right now, according to foreign policy expert Gordon Chang, who is signaling more "end-of-regime conduct" coming out of Xi Jinping’s China.
"At a time when China needs friends because it's not selling goods to the U.S., it is going out of its way to antagonize not just the Philippines, not just Taiwan, but also South Korea and Australia," Chang, a senior fellow with the Gatestone Institute, said on "Mornings with Maria" Monday. //
What's troubling about all this is that authoritarian leaders, like Chairman Xi and his ideological counterpart in Russia, Tsar Vladimir I, tend to be suspicious of any strong, capable underlings and so surround themselves and stack the upper layers of their government with sycophants. That sets up a house of cards; as no man is immortal, sooner or later that leader has to step down, which leaves nobody really capable to take over. These events frequently lead to a power struggle among the top tier. //
China's logistical push into the Caribbean, its increasing hostility towards Taiwan, its tweaking the American nose with freedom of navigation flights down the Alaskan coast - all of that, along with China's increased military spending, may well be an indication that Chairman Xi may attempt some kind of military solution. //
WhatNext Jack752877
13 hours ago
There are 2 problems with the idea of China just finding new customers in other nations.
1 - No other market in the world can provide the demand that will satisfy China's current supply capabilities. (They geared production for the US Market, obviously).
2 - Projected growth in that US Market - particularly in consumer electronics - is expected to almost DOUBLE in the next 4 years. At this point in time, if China abandons any hope of being part of that market, that is a PERMANENT loss on huge future earnings . (Because once the US Market develops relationships with several other countries for the electronics we need, there will be no reason to go back to China for stuff.)
These facts alone make it the PERFECT time for re-negotiation between US and China on trade agreements.
