Trump was quoted by the Wall Street Journal last Friday as saying he would only commit to the One China policy after assessing the progress the world’s second-largest economy makes on trade and currency issues. One China is an acknowledgment that Taiwan and China are part of the same China, even if they disagree on what that means. Beijing regards it as a bedrock policy, not the bargaining chip that Trump has suggested. Trump threatened during his campaign to brand China a currency manipulator immediately upon taking office, and to slap 45% tariffs on its exports to the United States. “I would talk to them first,” Trump was quoted as saying.

Source: The Star January 15, 2017 23:43 UTC