Opinion | Say what you will about Trump, he taught us the art of dealing with China on trade

Trump’s administration at least woke us up to the reality that the Chinese government gives up nothing without a fight

Endless strategic dialogues without action proved to be ineffective for the US

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US President Donald Trump wears a protective face mask due to the coronavirus disease pandemic as he talks with workers while touring a Whirlpool Corporation washing machine factory in Clyde, Ohio, on August 6, 2020. Photo: Reuters

Published: 1:42pm, 11 Aug 2020Updated: 1:42pm, 11 Aug 2020

When interviewer Jonathan Swan held Donald Trump’s feet to the fire over the fact that more than 1,000 Americans were dying of Covid-19 each day, the man who claimed that the pandemic made him “a wartime president” a few months ago responded that “it is what it is”.

Trump’s performance, resembling a mafia don claiming to know nothing about the bodies buried in his nephew’s backyard, will have no effect on his core supporters, but will certainly push more of those still on the fence.

Considering that Trump is far behind presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden in the polls, his latest debacle doesn’t bode well for November.

So it’s time to consider more seriously the implications of a Biden presidency starting in January, assuming Trump won’t hole up in the White House with Attorney General William Barr and a detail of rogue federal troops to lob flash bangs at anyone outside the gates.

Former vice-president Joe Biden and US President Donald Trump will face off in the election in November. Photo: AP

But before we go there, let’s acknowledge the contribution that Trump and his administration have made to US-China relations.

Given that the trade war has so far produced very little for the US except for billions of dollars in punitive tariffs forked out by US importers, that statement might seem facetious. It’s not.

Trump’s administration at least woke us up to the reality that the Chinese government gives up nothing without a fight. After more than a century of foreign encroachment and bad faith dealings by the Western powers, no one should begrudge Beijing’s instinct to drive a hard bargain. But the bargain was too far in China’s favour for too long.