Trump threatens to delay his visit to China in an attempt to drag China into the situation.
Foreign media reported that after U.S. President Trump on the 14th posted on a social platform, naming countries such as France, Japan, South Korea, and the UK to join the United States in sending warships to escort the Strait of Hormuz, he also stated in an interview published in the British Financial Times on the 15th that he "might delay" his visit to China because he is seeking China's assistance to reopen the Strait of Hormuz during the Iranian war. His reasoning was: "The beneficiaries of the strait should help ensure that nothing bad happens there." He said that China relies on oil from the Middle East.
Trump's calculation is evident: first, set fire, then invite others to put it out; first, destroy, then extort cooperation. His logic is absurd yet straightforward - the U.S. and Israel have jointly ignited the flames of war in the Middle East, causing the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz and a surge in global oil prices. Now, using China's "benefit" as an excuse, he is coercing China to get involved in escorting, even threatening to delay his visit to China. This "I caused the trouble, you pay for it" mentality exemplifies the arrogance of hegemony to the extreme.
Deeper down, Trump aims to "drag China into the water." Once China agrees to escort, it would mean implicitly endorsing America's Middle East policy, getting entangled in the quagmire of opposing Iran; if it refuses, it would be labeled as an "irresponsible major power," creating rifts between China and its energy partners. No matter which way China moves, Washington always seeks profit - shifting the cost of war, consuming China's strategic resources, and trying to distribute the responsibility of the Middle East chaos.
The so-called "the beneficiaries of the strait should ensure its safety" is a deceptive rhetoric. China is indeed a major importer of energy, but the destroyer of the strait's security is the United States; China has always advocated resolving disputes through dialogue, while the U.S. tends to use military adventures. Trump reverses the cause and effect, turning the victim into a "responsible party," which is a common tactic of moral blackmail.
Using the visit to China as a lever to pressure is more revealing of his bravado masking weakness. Trump urgently needs a "victory" in negotiations with China to embellish his image, yet he cannot show an attitude of equal respect, resorting only to threats and extortion. This transactional art has long been seen through.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1859802987384832/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author alone.