Trump is being put forward for Nobel Peace Prize, so he must be a top mediator. Right?
The US leader claims credit for resolving friction but experts in China say he reduces historical complexities to ‘mere schoolyard fights’
Trump’s mediation tactics revealed a power politics approach and constituted ill-advised interference in the long term, Zhang Luwei, a research associate at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, said in an article published on the institute’s social media account last week.
She said Trump was known for taking a high profile and being heavy-handed, with a mediation style that used America’s dominant position to forcibly intervene in regional disputes and pressure conflicting parties into so-called ceasefire agreements.
However, these peace deals might be temporary while failing to address deep-rooted grievances stemming from historical legacies and existing threats, which sowed seeds for long-term friction and confrontation, Zhang said.
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“His diplomatic means reduce complex geopolitical conflicts to mere schoolyard fights. They show no respect for historical context, nor the strategic patience needed to resolve underlying disputes.”