Foreign relations was never a strong point for Donald Trump and his “America first” policy, and his return to the White House signals a return of China policy to center stage, forcing smaller countries to play a wily game if they are to win his attention.
That means a further loss of relevance for multilateralism and trade blocs like the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with Trump’s first two years in office expected to follow his first term, which was characterized as a “Carnival of Chaos” with decisions enforced in an ad hoc manner by presidential decree.
As Keith Richburg, a long-standing East Asian correspondent for The Washington Post, puts it, Trump’s transactional style of negotiating, coupled with a dislike of multilateralism and alliances, will see him making deals aimed at benefiting his constituencies.
That includes threats to impose 60 percent tariffs on Chinese goods, which could prove to be an ambit claim for the agenda Trump intends to pursue after he is sworn in on January 20.
Richburg, who is also a member of the editorial board at the Washington Post, spoke with The Diplomat’s Luke Hunt about how Trump won back the White House, despite his criminal conviction and the polls which suggested a much tighter race.
He also discusses the early hints about what will come next from Indonesia’s recently elected president, Prabowo Subianto, who is currently in the middle of his first overseas tour, to the United States, China, Britain, and Brazil.
Of all the ASEAN countries, Indonesia’s relationship with Trump could prove the most interesting given its size and regional influence. Richburg said Jakarta has too often underplayed its role in international affairs, but now might be the time to step up to the plate.