President-elect Donald Trump spoke with the president of Taiwan today, a move that probably won’t go over well with China, and the call really set Twitter off.
Former Bush press secretary Ari Fleischer‘s reaction wasn’t the most positive:
Uh-oh. I wasn't even allowed to refer to the gvt "of" Taiwan. (I could say gvt "on" Taiwan.) China will go nuts. https://t.co/vJcBD2rika
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) December 2, 2016
In summit meetings w China, Chinese leaders began by asking potus to restate one-China policy. Trump is changing how we do business w China.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) December 2, 2016
Don't misinterpret what I'm saying. So long as Trump called knowing it would change the status quo, I'm fine w it. I hope it was by design.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) December 2, 2016
CNN National Security Correspondent Jim Sciutto tweeted about the potential consequences:
Having covered #China for >20 years, upending #Taiwan protocol might be about the best way for a US Pres to cause a diplomatic uproar
— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) December 2, 2016
And one Democratic senator has so far weighed in on the big Trump foreign policy picture here:
(1) Foreign policy consistency is a means, not an end. It's not sacred. Thus, it's Trump's right to shift policy, alliances, strategy.
— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) December 2, 2016
(2) What has happened in the last 48 hours is not a shift. These are major pivots in foreign policy w/out any plan. That's how wars start.
— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) December 2, 2016
(3) And if they aren't pivots – just radical temporary deviations – allies will walk if they have no clue what we stand for. Just as bad.
— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) December 2, 2016
(4) It's probably time we get a Secretary of State nominee on board. Preferably w experience. Like, really really soon.
— Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) December 2, 2016
And a lot of other people were just as mystified:
I mean, if you know, like, 5 things about China, one of them is: THEY'RE KIND OF TOUCHY ABOUT TAIWAN
— Christopher Hayes (@chrislhayes) December 2, 2016
whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat https://t.co/bymFKOjexw
— Matt Pearce (@mattdpearce) December 2, 2016
Trump is dangerously out of touch, making moves that defy common sense and risk catapulting us into worldwide chaos. https://t.co/lBg94FAPiN
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) December 2, 2016
Do other governments take Trump literally, seriously, or as someone who has no idea what he's doing? https://t.co/ZNmDDDiGPv
— Nate Cohn (@Nate_Cohn) December 2, 2016
It is hard to overstate the bottomless pig-ignorance & recklessness, of this step.
Presidents from Nixon onward had careful PRC/ROC protocol https://t.co/s9EqhOjoT8— James Fallows (@JamesFallows) December 2, 2016
After provoking China and titillating Taiwan, we are mere hours from Trump announcing "We've always been at war with Eastasia."#Lunatic
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) December 2, 2016
This Taiwan/PRC phone call thing, combined with these new Trump developments in Taipei is beyond insane. This is playing with real matches.
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) December 2, 2016
Honestly, I'll bet he doesn't have the slightest understanding of what he just did. https://t.co/YSfqyh4pAd
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) December 2, 2016
Biggest risk of Trump's Taiwan call isn't pissing off China. It's giving Taiwan the idea that we'll support them more than we actually will.
— Matt O'Brien (@ObsoleteDogma) December 2, 2016
Over at The Daily Wire, Ben Shapiro offered this take on the potential upside and downside of Trump’s call:
If it represents ignorance and Trump has to walk it back, that would be a dramatically stupid move – it would undermine burgeoning American relations with China, then require a walkback that would damage relations with Taiwan and make America appear weak. If the move represents a Trumpian outreach to Taiwan on behalf of his businesses – Trump’s business has plans to construct a series of luxury hotels in Taiwan – that’s a problem, too.
But if this is a well-thought-out piece of foreign policy, then it’s a change that conservatives could welcome. China has been feeling its oats in the South China Sea for years under President Obama. They’ve been propping up the North Korean prison state for decades. They’ve been threatening Taiwan since 1949. Let’s hope that Trump isn’t just winging it.
[featured image via Shutterstock]
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Follow Josh Feldman on Twitter: @feldmaniac
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