The new US president, Donald Trump, ushers in uncertainties for the Philippines and our part of the world, leading us into dark, unsettling times.
These are primarily driven by two archs:
- Trump is a challenge to democracy, the solidity of institutions, and the values of inclusion and tolerance.
- Unfolding US policy toward China: skating around the one-China policy will reverberate in the region, put us on edge as it will impact the security situation on the contentious South China Sea.
Many countries have looked to the US for lessons on keeping democracy robust, political institutions strong, and free speech alive. We’re no longer sure Trump’s America will beam these lights to the rest of the world.
Trump has no respect for facts and has maligned the press, showing he is poised to “punish journalists for doing their jobs.”
He relates to autocratic leaders like Russia’s Vladimir Putin,Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and our own Rodrigo Duterte.
In their 1st telephone conversation, the two leaders hit it off well. Duterte claims that Trump told him he was “doing great,” apparently referring to the war on drugs which then President Barack Obama had criticized because of the enormous cost on human lives (over 7,000 killed as of January 17, 2017).
On the foreign policy front, we have yet to see if what Trump says goes.
Rex Tillerson, his choice for secretary of state, took a strong position versus China , calling for an end to China’s building of artificial islands in the South China Sea and denying them access.
James Mattis, defense secretary nominee, also took a hard line on China. Both have contradicted Trump on foreign policy.
Is the one-China policy in peril? Trump has said it will be a bargaining chip with China in negotiations over its “unfair trade practices,” displaying a transactional rather than strategic mindset. Rumblings over this “non-negotiable” position of Beijing will roll over to the region.
It is vital that the Philippines navigate this uncharted territory to keep peace and stability. And overall, to fight impulses destructive of democracy. – Rappler.com