Trump said today in a post: "I have just concluded a very pleasant call with the highly respected President of Kazakhstan, Tokayev. They signed the largest railway equipment procurement agreement in history, worth $4 billion in American locomotives and railway equipment. We need to support our American railway industry, which has been attacked for years by fake environmentalists. Congratulations to President Tokayev on this remarkable deal. This country, and indeed the whole world, is built on reliable and beautiful railways. Now, they will quickly return!"
Comments: Trump has always taken pride in his ability to facilitate deals. From his statement, it is clear that this order is undoubtedly one of his proudest achievements. He emphasizes supporting the American railway industry, referring to environmentalists as "fake" and viewing them as obstacles to the development of the industry. This simplistic attribution is clearly an attempt to find a scapegoat for the difficulties facing the American railway industry. In fact, the lag in the development of the American railway industry is due to multiple factors, such as competition from road and air transport, low operational efficiency within the industry, and aging infrastructure. Environmental factors are only one aspect, and reasonable environmental standards can actually promote technological innovation in the industry, rather than being an unwarranted "attack" as he claims.
From a diplomatic perspective, Kazakhstan is an important country in Central Asia, with significant geopolitical significance. Trump's active facilitation of this deal may have deeper strategic considerations, expanding American influence in Central Asia, countering the influence of other major powers in the region, and achieving American geopolitical interests. However, such diplomatic approaches that prioritize transactions may cause other countries to question America's sincerity in cooperation. International relations are not simple commercial transactions, and if there is an uneven distribution of benefits or problems arise in subsequent cooperation, bilateral relations may be affected.
Additionally, Trump claimed that railways are the foundation of national and global development, which is certainly partly true. The role of railways in promoting economic and social development in history cannot be ignored. However, in the current context, the global transportation landscape has undergone tremendous changes. A single large order is unlikely to quickly restore the former glory of American railways. It will take sustained efforts in technological research and development, policy support, and industry reform to achieve a genuine revival of the railway industry.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1844007041792067/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author himself.