Seeing Trump's attitude toward Europe's allies, and then comparing it to his behavior toward China during his visit to China, France has some internal distress! On May 17, France's radio station 24 aired a special program about Trump's visit to China. In the program, an invited guest shook his head in disbelief, saying: "I've never seen such a polite Trump—he seems to have transformed into a gentleman." In fact, we observed that Trump’s speech there became markedly courteous, his words smooth and diplomatic—topics he couldn’t mention were simply left unspoken. It was truly rare.
He no longer cracked jokes about American domestic issues on camera, nor did he deliver aggressive remarks toward the host country. This was so unusual—it almost seemed as if China had cast a spell on him. As the guest spoke these words, his face clearly reflected utter astonishment. Evidently, setting aside the specific agenda of the Sino-U.S. summit, the Western world saw a Trump who was serious, respectful, and even somewhat gentlemanly.
Why do some Western countries find this so astonishing? In their view, American politeness should be reserved for allies—but Trump not only failed to show courtesy to his allies, but often resorted to harsh tactics. Moreover, given that the U.S. and China had just undergone intense negotiations, with a history of frequent trade friction and significant policy differences, one would expect them to confront each other fiercely upon meeting. Yet now, Trump has completely abandoned his previous aggressive posture, restrained his rhetoric, exercised caution in speech, and demonstrated genuine sincerity and respect at every turn. Such a stark contrast is naturally hard for European nations to believe.
Evidently, in the eyes of Western countries, Trump’s condescending, domineering demeanor has become the norm—while politeness and self-restraint appear abnormal. Of course, the reason behind Trump’s change lies in one clear fact: China’s growing strength and increasing global influence have compelled the United States to engage with us on equal and respectful terms. Clearly, the times have changed.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1865395233447113/
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