He's gonna dump Taiwan, isn't he?

[JohnnyRingo]

All it would take is a an even-money trade deal and a complement of how smart he is, and it's goodbye Taiwan.
Congress already approved a multi billion dollar arms sale to the province and Trump signed it, but then after a chat with Xi he held the money back.

I fear this will go down as the most significant China visit since Nixon, but in an infamous way. Trump is singlehandedly making school globes an obsolete reference.

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Billionaires United

The sharks are feeding

[vapor2]

2. Acts so freakin tough until he actually meets another world leader

Then he caves and sells us out

[Irish_Dem]

4. Trump is easy to manipulate.

Flattery and cash does the trick

[3Hotdogs]

23. Xi gives him a 10K, gold plated putter. Tells him how great he is ---- Bye, bye Taiwan.

[Irish_Dem]

28. Throw in cocaine and a hooker.

Kiss Taiwan good bye.

[Irish_Dem]

3. If he gets enough money of course he will trade Taiwan for it.

[oasis]

5. Taiwan's fate is on shaky ground while Trump is

in the White House.

[ImNotGod]

6. Yep, like he's dumped on every democracy here and around the world. nt

[Torchlight]

7. I'd guess it comes down to who show up with the biggest briefcase full of cash.

Taipei or Bejiing. That's trump's go-to litmus test... "how much more money can you give me than they can?"

[imanamerican63]

8. He'll try to sell it to China like he tried to sell Puerto Rico & other countries that didn't even belong to the US?

He is an absolute imbecile who has no interest whatsoever in any sort humanity!

[dclarston13]

9. Nixons visit to China was the beginning of the end

For American manufacturing. He knew what he was doing. Oh yeah and I too think he will give up Taiwan.

[Dan]

10. To be honest, if Trump is offered enough money

He would sell America.

[Pesky1]

12. And he has sold America...

To the billionaires.

[orangecrush]

18. Without batting an eye

[BaronChocula]

11. My thought too n/t

[Ray Bruns]

13. Yes he is. I don't know what Xi promised, but Xi will screw Trump over.

[mr715]

14. 95% sure

[BurnDoubt]

15. Well...

He IS the most transactional being since the “reach-around” came into existence.
And besides…it has been written into our own laws that “those Vermin” are not people and undeserving of consideration as Humans.

[ShazzieB]

16. Taiwan isn't a province. It's a sovereign nation, officially known as the Republic of China.

Founded in 1912 after the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty, the ROC originally governed mainland China. It relocated its government to the island of Taiwan in 1949 after losing the Chinese Civil War to the Chinese Communist Party, which subsequently established the People's Republic of China. The PRC has wanted the island back ever since.

When I was growing up during the Cold War, Americans referred to Taiwan as China and the People's Republic of China as Red China. The US didn't formally recognize the People's Republic until January 1, 1979.

It will be a crying shame if Trump throws Taiwan under the bus, but I wouldn't even think of putting it past him..

[JohnnyRingo]

31. That's right, Taiwan isn't a province.

I misrepresented that on the OP because I'd just read an article that pointed out that China still claims it as a province, albeit a renegade.
It may be one again by week's end.

[orangecrush]

17. I'm betting yes

[Billsdaughter]

19. Taiwan is over. That deal was done before

he boarded the plane. Wonder what he, Xi and Putin are discussing vis a vis Ukraine.

[sop]

20. Trump was impeached the first time for withholding $400M already approved by Congress for military aid to Ukraine

in return for dirt on Biden. If Trump again withheld money already approved by Congress for a multi billion dollar arms sale to Taiwan, after a "chat" with Xi where he made some sleazy quid pro quo deal, we're in Impeachment territory again.

[Billsdaughter]

25. On paper, yes. But the Republicans will not

defy him. Period. This whole visit screams nefarious and dastardly acts. Look at the axis of evil created here.

[Mr.Bee]

21. Let's Put It This Way

He didn't take the billionaire owners with him.
they went to keep an eye on him-
so he doesn't fuck up their interests.

[littlemissmartypants]

22. They are a major manufacturing hub for computer chips.

It will be the decision of the IT oligarchs. Which means they hold the cards here. China needs those chips, and so does the AI industry.

I'm going to say, in this case, adding up the combined cash of them versus China, they hold the majority of the leverage.

That could be good news for Taiwan and is one reason why I am glad he took them as his entourage. Though I'm somewhat begrudgingly glad I'm cautiously optimistic.

The trick is going to be getting to a logically reasoned consensus. That's going to depend on whether DJ caves to group pressure or the gang he brought rolls over and exposes a collectively weak underbelly.

Or they can't come to any agreement, bickering ensues, Xi says fuck this nonsense and declares war on Taiwan and strengthens China's alliances with North Korea, Russia, Iran and maybe even India.

That is a hard call to make.

[C Moon]

24. Hell, if Xi gave trump enough money, he'd give them the U.S.

[Scrivener7]

26. Yep.

[ChicagoTeamster]

27. Then why did he have all the F-22's and the other ships sent to Japan? Must be a last minute change. Wonder why?

Think somebody said something to him?

[Buckeyeblue]

29. Taiwan won't go down without a fight

Sure China could overwhelm Taiwan. However Taiwan might burn the place down before the surrender.

[Pisces]

30. We have no moral high ground to stand on. Trump wants to invade Canada, Greenland, Cuba, and we are

running secret CIA attacks in Mexico. He doesn’t care wha XI does with Taiwan, it’s obvious. He only care about ending the Iran war and making money. If XI offers him both he will turn a blind eye. We are living in terrible times with this guy. Everything is monetized.