For President Trump, honoring 'One China Policy' is the only rational and right thing to do
- By Sava Hassan
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, February 23, 2017
After being subjected to a stream of irrational rhetoric by US President Donald Trump pertinent to his intentions of taking a tough stand in dealing with China including re-evaluating the "One China Policy," recently President Donald Trump, in a phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping, indicated that he will respect the fact that China, with all its regions, including Taiwan and Tibet, is one nation.
One may wonder about the reasons that swayed President Trump to alter his views, especially after the provocative call with Taiwan's leader Tsai Ing-wen and his controversial statements regarding Tibet.
China believed that Trump broke diplomatic protocol by contacting the leader of an inalienable part of China's territory without following the proper channels that were established by the international community. Political analysts believed that considering the chaotic state of President Trump's administration, honoring the "One China Policy" was the right, rational and moral thing to do.
President Trump is well aware of the importance of establishing a mutually beneficial collaborative relationship with China. No one in his or her right mind can ignore the crucial role that China plays on the world stage. President Trump's predecessors, from Nixon to Obama, perfectly grasped the fact that expanding collaborative domains with China is significant and essential for the development of both nations.
In addition, mutually-respected equal partnership between the two countries is fundamental for maintaining equilibrium and peace on our planet, along with dealing with the complex challenges that may drag the human race into oblivion.
It is logical to assume that altering the "One China Policy" may lead to disastrous consequences for both nations and the world. Furthermore, China will not stand by while one of its essential fundamentals is broken after being respected by many former American presidents.
For certain, at least, an irreversible strain in their relationship may result from such an act of betrayal. Moreover, China could perceive such a decision as an undesired and unprovoked interference in its internal affairs.
President Trump's phone call with President Xi, during which he pledged to respect and honor the "One China Policy," gave both Americans and Chinese a glimpse of hope that improving the relationship between China and USA is a possibility.
One hopes that President Trump will re-evaluate its stance on the South China Sea issue to stay out of that regional conflict, leaving the countries involved to reach a mutually satisfying resolution.
We may dare and hope that President Trump could acquire the courage to cease issuing divisive statements that infuriate people, especially world leaders who are suspicious of his controversial stance on international issues.
For the sake of citizens of both nations, we hope that both China and the US will attempt to find common ground to establish a mutually beneficial partnership that would bring prosperity and peace to our world.
The author is a Canadian teacher in China. Shanghai Daily condensed his article.
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