Hong Kong’s economic future will be safer under a Joe Biden presidency

Name: Are Xi Jinping’s China and Donald Trump’s US destined for armed conflict?
Uploaded: 2020-06-25T21:00:07.000Z
Duration: 4 min 12 s
Description: Are Xi Jinping’s China and Donald Trump’s US destined for armed conflict?

Calm minds on both sides know China and the US need each other because they are more economically linked than militarily opposed, unlike the Cold War

Hong Kong’s economic future remains in the hands of the superpowers, with a Biden presidency less likely to cause unwelcome fallout

Reading Time:3 minutes

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In this combination of file photos, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, left, speaks in Wilmington, Delaware, on March 12 and US President Donald Trump speaks at the White House in Washington on April 5. Photo: AP

Richard Harris

Published: 5:00am, 26 Jun 2020Updated: 7:12am, 17 Oct 2020

British prime minister Harold Wilson said in 1964 that “a week is a long time in politics”. And in 1886, politician Joseph Chamberlain said: “In politics, there is no use in looking beyond the next fortnight.” In 2020, I shall try to look over the next five months to see how Hong Kong might fare with the next US president.

Current US president, Donald Trump, who pre-coronavirus looked unbeatable, seems to be imploding. He is a man who can take pressure, but the burdens of office will wear anyone down – especially a man with the capriciousness to upset the apple cart soon after having gutted the fruit shop. The sight of him looking exhausted after his unsuccessful political rally in Oklahoma was telling.

Two weeks ago, I would have said Trump would easily beat Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, but a fortnight is a long time in politics. Biden is an uninspiring, long-term politico who has shown few leadership skills. This election is Trump’s to lose.

04:12

Are Xi Jinping’s China and Donald Trump’s US destined for armed conflict?

A scrapping Trump is a great campaigner, a victorious Trump vainglorious, but a losing Trump with his back to the wall is likely to intensify a stream of name-calling, backbiting, spiteful and divisive tweets which could turn voters against him.

The explosive kiss-and-tell book by John Bolton, Trump’s former national security adviser, went viral over the weekend as soon as a judge granted permission for it to be published, against the wishes of the White House.

It turns out White House meetings debating serious geopolitical issues, such as Iraq or Syria, are often derailed by Trump ranting about unrelated topics.

Bolton reports several impeachable offences, like discussing domestic political and legal interference in US affairs with foreign leaders. He claims Trump buttered up President Xi Jinping about detaining Uygurs on terrorist offences because criticism or sanctions could have interfered with trade negotiations.

Bolton served Ronald Reagan and two Bushes as well as Trump, and he appears genuinely shocked at the lack of administration within the administration.

Hong Kong’s economic future will be safer under a Joe Biden presidency

Calm minds on both sides know China and the US need each other because they are more economically linked than militarily opposed, unlike the Cold War Hong Kong’s economic future remains in the hands of the superpowers, with a Biden presidency less likely to cause unwelcome fallout

Calm minds on both sides know China and the US need each other because they are more economically linked than militarily opposed, unlike the Cold War

Hong Kong’s economic future remains in the hands of the superpowers, with a Biden presidency less likely to cause unwelcome fallout