Tea for Two Needy Global Partners

The informal first face-to-face get-to-know summit meeting between impulsive President Donald Trump and cautious President Xi Jinping – two strong-willed men — at Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s luxury Florida Winter White House, on April 6-7, laid the right foundation and tone for Sino-U.S. relations. It was important for the two leaders, teetotaller Trump and tea drinker Xi, to establish a personal connection to enhance mutual trust to pursue a constructive economic and strategic bilateral relationship.

Writing this blog on Sanya’s sandy beach in Hainan, China, I couldn’t help reflect what a great new starting point the “very difficult,” focused and professional meeting was, to set the tone and advance the world’s most important bilateral relationship, one that both agreed to personally oversee.

The groundwork for the Bilateral Investment Treaty between the two countries has been prepared for more than nine years. Both leaders will head a new U.S.-China Comprehensive Dialogue that will oversee economic, diplomatic and security, law enforcement and cyber security, and social and cultural issues that will replace the failed Strategic and Economic Dialogue.

Both leaders agreed to an aggressive 100-day action plan for trade talks to reduce America’s trade deficit and increase its exports. A plan Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross described as “ambitious” and a “sea change in the pace of discussion and a very important symbolization of growing rapport between the two countries.”

America and China need each other if they are to continue playing leading global roles as the world’s top two economies, each other’s largest trading partners – and global leaders — in the 21^st-century New World Order. Neither can do it alone. They can only do so together as partners – notwithstanding the fact they are competitors — a subject I have repeatedly addressed and emphasized in my series of five Custom Maid for New World Disorder books.

America and China need and depend on each other. Both are saddled with unsustainable national debt, dueling currencies, volatile markets, irrelevant and dated global institutions, terrorism, sluggish economies, ethnic clashes, frustrated and angry citizens, and a turbulent world that is confusing and incomprehensible courtesy of social media and fake news – alternative facts.

Both leaders want to restore their nations to greatness. But it is pointless for China to try and take advantage of America’s rapidly declining global stature, just as it is pointless for America to try and contain China. Both countries have mutually beneficial strengths that can compensate each other’s weaknesses and core interests. Both shoulder unique qualities and relationships that are essential for world peace and prosperity.

Trump and the Republican Party enjoyed much greater support among mainland Chinese during the 2016 U.S. presidential election than the democrats or Clinton. Chinese politicians, unlike America’s on the campaign trail, do not bash America. Unlike the decline of visitors from other countries since Trump’s election, the number of Chinese tourists visiting the U.S. since his election is on the rise.

A Pew poll conducted in February and March, shows Americans opinions of China is on the rise. The survey shows that some 44 percent of Americans have a favorable opinion of China, up from 37 percent a year ago.

The latest figures from the U.S. Commerce Department show that the U.S. trade deficit with China in February fell by a record 26.6 percent below the January total and U.S. exports rose.

More importantly, Chinese companies are investing in America and employing Americans. “We have about 400 companies in our membership and they’re very much involved in the rebuilding of Detroit,” said Brian Gao, president of the Detroit Chinese Business Association.

China State Construction and Engineering Corp and China Communications Construction Co, are already working to upgrade some projects in America, including the New York City subway system and station near Yankee Stadium, a coliseum in South Carolina and a huge entertainment hotel and casino complex in New Jersey.

CRRC Sifang, an arm of railway equipment manufacturer China Railway Rolling Stock Corp, is building a $100 million plant to build rail cars for Chicago’s transit authority. CRRC is also building a $95 million plant in Massachusetts to build rail cars for Boston’s transit authority.

America has to spend $8.2 trillion by 2030 to upgrade its infrastructure according to the consulting firm Rhodium Group. A golden opportunity for Chinese firms to invest and employ Americans.

America has endorsed Chinese verbiage that the future paradigm of the U.S.-China relationship should be built on “non-confrontation, no conflict, mutual respect, and always searching for win-win solutions.”

Trump’s goal to boost the economy and create jobs with “fair” trade and by rebuilding America’s infrastructure, has replaced Obama’s climate change goal as the cornerstone for the new era of cooperation between the two global power houses.

Both leaders also agreed that North Korea’s nuclear disarmament is a top global priority for both countries to jointly pursue.

Xi’s “China Dream” can “Make America Great Again.”

Baseball player Trump scored a home run and soccer player Xi scored a goal at Mar-a-Lago. They now have to put their respective talents and promises into global deliverables on both the economic, trade and military fronts. The U.S.-Sino partnership is the most important one in the world and must endure and grow stronger if the world is to avoid Armageddon.