The usual suspects are at it again with strong criticisms of the Trump administration's initiatives with China on trade and NK on Korean Peninsula denuclearization.
I agree there is a lot of Trump theatrics in these meetings with Xi and Kim. So, what. If it leads to lower level negotiators sitting down and talking about paths to achieve each side's goals, that would be a good thing. Shummer thinks it ridiculous that Trump would associate with Kim on the personal level he does. Again, so what. He's in power, he has control of NK's nuclear program and seems like the logical person to talk to about that program ....... barring some other approach and I haven't heard anything from Shummer on that.
Sources are reporting today that the Chinese position to resume trade talks and have them go anywhere is that the US has to abandon all it's tariffs. This position apparently in conflict with the US position that some tariffs will remain in place as a means of enforcing Chinese compliance with steps they might agree to to allow the US to achieve it's trade goals.
There is little detail in the reports I'm reading on China trade. Just broad statements. That's the problem for me. The door has been opened for lower level staff working on these issues to get to work. Hopefully that takes place, behind the scenes, without a lot of public fanfare. I remain aggravated that the press picks up on a particular line coming from someone in China or NK and begins to make a story out of it without considering the lack of facts that probably support that story.
This sort of thing leads to two problems: (1) misrepresentations or misinterpretations of the meaning of the words, usually, but not always, in the speakers native tongue. (2) such reports have the potential of prompting a tweet storm or an official response from a US administration member that will be interpreted by the Chines or North Koreans as an insult....... we're calling off the meeting of lower level staff.
So, Trump haters would be well advised to just STFU in this important short term period before principals actually meet to re-start talks.
I agree there is a lot of Trump theatrics in these meetings with Xi and Kim. So, what. If it leads to lower level negotiators sitting down and talking about paths to achieve each side's goals, that would be a good thing. Shummer thinks it ridiculous that Trump would associate with Kim on the personal level he does. Again, so what. He's in power, he has control of NK's nuclear program and seems like the logical person to talk to about that program ....... barring some other approach and I haven't heard anything from Shummer on that.
Sources are reporting today that the Chinese position to resume trade talks and have them go anywhere is that the US has to abandon all it's tariffs. This position apparently in conflict with the US position that some tariffs will remain in place as a means of enforcing Chinese compliance with steps they might agree to to allow the US to achieve it's trade goals.
There is little detail in the reports I'm reading on China trade. Just broad statements. That's the problem for me. The door has been opened for lower level staff working on these issues to get to work. Hopefully that takes place, behind the scenes, without a lot of public fanfare. I remain aggravated that the press picks up on a particular line coming from someone in China or NK and begins to make a story out of it without considering the lack of facts that probably support that story.
This sort of thing leads to two problems: (1) misrepresentations or misinterpretations of the meaning of the words, usually, but not always, in the speakers native tongue. (2) such reports have the potential of prompting a tweet storm or an official response from a US administration member that will be interpreted by the Chines or North Koreans as an insult....... we're calling off the meeting of lower level staff.
So, Trump haters would be well advised to just STFU in this important short term period before principals actually meet to re-start talks.
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