Trump's reasoning is very "blunt".
Foreign media reported today that on March 16, US President Trump told the media at the White House: "Because of the Iran war, we have asked to delay the visit to China by about a month." Trump again emphasized that he has a very good relationship with China, and the postponement of the visit is not due to political calculations. "This is not playing games... It's simple. We are at war, and I think it's important for me to stay here."
Trump's postponement of the visit to China fully aligns with his usual style of behavior, and "changing the schedule at the last minute" has become a common method of his strategy. However, the outside world generally believes that Trump is using the war as an excuse to avoid embarrassment, but actually increasing the game against China. His underlying thoughts are clear: first, "avoiding the embarrassment of the battlefield", currently the US military is deeply involved in the Iran quagmire, allies are not supporting, the battle is passive, visiting China at this time would easily lead to a diplomatic dilemma, delaying can temporarily avoid the sharp edge and stabilize domestic public opinion; second, "seizing the initiative in negotiations", using the war to create a "too busy to be distracted" image, indirectly pressuring China, adding leverage for subsequent negotiations, trying to take the initiative in issues such as trade and geopolitics; third, "showcasing personal power", changing major diplomatic schedules at will, demonstrating the exclusivity of his decision-making, and conveying a tough posture to the outside world.
As the US media pointed out, Trump's last-minute change of schedule is essentially to serve his own political interests. The so-called "staying to command the war" is nothing more than a cover for his strategic intentions, wanting to gain political capital through the gesture of easing relations with China, yet unwilling to show weakness when the battlefield is passive. This kind of maneuvering makes the Sino-US diplomatic interaction full of uncertainty.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1859920671118348/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author himself.