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[chadskin]

Donald Trump risks opening up a major diplomatic dispute with China before he has even been inaugurated after speaking on the phone on Friday with Tsai Ying-wen, the president of Taiwan.

The telephone call, confirmed by three people, is believed to be the first between a US president or president-elect and a leader of Taiwan since diplomatic relations between the two were cut in 1979.

Although it is not clear if the Trump transition team intended the conversation to signal a broader change in US policy towards Taiwan, the call is likely to infuriate Beijing which regards the island as a renegade province.

The US has adopted the so-called “One China” policy since 1972 after the Nixon-Mao meetings and in 1978 President Jimmy Carter formally recognised Beijing as the sole government of China, with the US embassy closing in Taipei the year after.

The Trump team did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

“The Chinese leadership will see this as a highly provocative action, of historic proportions,” said Evan Medeiros, former Asia director at the White House national security council.

“Regardless if it was deliberate or accidental, this phone call will fundamentally change China’s perceptions of Trump’s strategic intentions for the negative. With this kind of move, Trump is setting a foundation of enduring mistrust and strategic competition for US-China relations.”

https://www.ft.com/content/fd19907e-b8d4-11e6-961e-a1acd97f622d

Better start building your nuclear shelters now.

Update: Trump transition team confirms phone call...

 

[Akuun]

Chances are, Trump didn't even know any of this.

 

[FZZ]

China do care

 

[jfkgoblue]

China won't do shit to us about this, they depend on us way to much. They will grovel and complain, but in the end they won't do anything. Not to mention the have virtually no Navy so it isn't like they could act out on us any way.

 

[flkraven]

Chances are, Trump didn't even know any of this.

I for one am shocked that someone with zero qualifications would make these kinds of mistakes.

China won't do shit to us about this, they depend on us way to much. They will grovel and complain, but in the end they won't do anything.

lol, man some Americans really think they are invincible huh?

 

[Pyrokai]

Guy is totally clueless. I'm not at all surprised. Here's going to tear foreign relations completely apart, and that's best case scenario

 

[norm9]

Oops. There's bound to be a couple mistakes when you're a new employee.

 

[Chie Satonaka]

Chances are, Trump didn't even know any of this.

There's no way he knew.

 

[ezrarh]

I'm not sure Trump knows the differences between East Asians much less the political issues surrounding the region.

 

[mreddie]

China is either gonna think "It's Trump" or gonna start a Trade War.

 

[DrSlek]

Please convey to the Taiwanese people that they are amazing and all Taiwanese I have known are exceptional people.

I am ready and willing to play any role that you want me to play to address and find solutions to the outstanding problems

 

[Dubbedinenglish]

OJT diplomacy....

 

[pirateluigi]

Chances are, Trump didn't even know any of this.

Of course not. Guy has no clue what he's doing

 

[Judderman]

That's why you always leave an intelligence briefing.

 

[Patryn]

Chances are, Trump didn't even know any of this.

That's my guess. But I'm guessing someone in his transition team did know, and deliberately wanted to provoke China for whatever reason.

 

[Jawbreaker]

Trump don't care.

 

[TheBryanJZX90]

China do care

Lol damn

 

[rtcn63]

Veep is real life now

 

[LookAtMeGo]

Tremendous!

 

[Dude Abides]

Call the Dalai Lama next Donald!

 

[Makonero]

dumb move, don

 

[Wyndstryker]

Maybe he wants to tell Taiwan to build a wall to protect themselves from their neighbor

 

[erlim]

Wasn't China heavily in favor for Trump?

 

[Metaroo]

Chances are, Trump didn't even know any of this.

Nor does he probably care about its implications.

 

[Zaph]

Chances are, Trump didn't even know any of this.

This is most likely true, and why this situation is so scary.

 

[airmangataosenai]

One of the few mistakes hes made I do not mind. Our policy with Taiwan is counterproductive with how China continually attempts to undermine them. Taiwan has always been an ardent ally and they deserve better.

 

[Crayon]

What an asshole.

 

[nampad]

Please continue to piss of China Mr. President-elect!

 

[gutter_trash]

and the far-Left with the Alt-Right were warning that a Clinton administration would be responsible for starting WW3

*sigh*

not even sworn in, and this Know-Nothing Trump is about stir up shit not realizing the consequences

 

[guek]

Chances are, Trump didn't even know any of this.

No doubt about it.

 

[Familienoberhauptvogel]

China won't do shit to us about this, they depend on us way to much. They will grovel and complain, but in the end they won't do anything. Not to mention the have virtually no Navy so it isn't like they could act out on us any way.

Globalisation is a chinese hoax too I suppose.

 

[Surfinn]

Sounds like the plot of The Phantom Menace. Which ended up being terrible, by the way.

 

[uncredited male]

There is a 0% chance Trump and Duterte will not trade insults at some point in the next 4 years.

 

[gutter_trash]

Chances are, Trump didn't even know any of this.

he's a Know Nothing

There is a 0% chance Trump and Duterte will not trade insults at some point in the next 4 years.

the opposite, Trump will congratulate Duterte for his ''Law&Order''

 

[acheron_xl]

He was probably just leveraging his position for business reasons again. No biggie.

 

[Kinitari]

I can guess the convo

'I love Taiwan, Taiwan is terrific. We have a lot of Taiwanese citizens and they're fantastic, and why wouldn't they be? They came from a fantastic place. I just love, love, love Taiwan and I think we'll have a terrific relationship. Anything you need from Taiwan, just let me know, and you'll get it.'

Regardless, maybe blessing in disguise?

 

[ReAxion]

China shoulda told Russia not to fuck around.

 

[commedieu]

In drumps defense (vomit all over shirt), "Trump is setting a foundation of enduring mistrust and strategic competition for US-China relations.”

He literally said they invented climate change, and that they are stealing all of our jobs. I think you'd be quite aware, if you were china, that Trump doesn't care for you.

 

[kirblar]

Wasn't China heavily in favor for Trump?

Very unlikely, given his protectionism.

 

[Jintor]

There is a 0% chance Trump and Duterte will not trade insults at some point in the next 4 years.

too late, dude's already been invited to the white house.

tell your citizens to kill drug dealers in the streets, get invited to the white house

global politics in the next 4 years is soooooooooooooooooooooooooo fucked

 

[jfkgoblue]

I for one am shocked that someone with zero qualifications would make these kinds of mistakes.



lol, man some Americans really think they are invincible huh?

Nearly 20% of ALL their exports is to the U.S.
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/china/exports
When it comes to China, I just laugh at those who think that they will ever do anything to the U.S.

 

[Empty]

this is unintentionally a good move. china's attitude towards taiwan is ridiculous, we shouldn't pander to it.

 

[Ganzlinger]

China is wrong here, not Trump. Taiwan should stay free.

 

[His Majesty]

Taiwan probably told Trump they're the real China.

 

[Chiggs]

This is a real shame because China has historically always had America's best interest in mind.

 

[qcf x2]

Suck it up, China. Taiwan is doing nothing wrong and they should not be excluded from contact with the USA because China is afraid of losing them.

 

[BadenBadenLily]

This piece of shit is going to trigger a global recession right before I graduate college.

Fuck.

 

[Theanine3D]

He repeatedly bashed China during his electoral campaign and used them as a bogeyman, not sure why this would shock or surprise any of the leadership in China.

 

[ced]

I just don't give a shit anymore after his surprise victory, totally numb now.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

Trump already told China he's going to impose tariffs on trade and scrap climate change deals. At this point China's like "Oh what did he do today? Whatever." and continues with their day.