Day 1,025: Ex-Chinese top trade diplomat: Trump is easy to negotiate against, China wants four more years of him

Donald Trump’s reputation as a negotiating guru have taken every lump possible over the past three years.

He has gotten the U.S. into needless trade wars. There have been few exits and fewer benefits.

He wantonly tore up agreements relating to climate and nuclear weapons, thinking there would be negotiations with deals with more favorable terms. There have been no new deals.

He has tried bullying foreign nations into doing his political bidding. That has led to an impeachment inquiry.

He has appeared weak on the global stage and no one is even remotely fearful of his alleged “skills” at the negotiation table. Now, one of China’s former top trade officials is openly mocking Trump, saying Beijing would love to see Trump reelected, in part, because he doesn’t even remotely try to obfuscate his position on key issues.

The US president’s daily Twitter posts broadcast his every impulse, delight and peeve to 67 million followers around the world, making him “easy to read” and “the best choice in an opponent for negotiations,” said Long Yongtu, the former vice-minister of foreign trade and point man during China’s 15-year talks to join the WTO nearly two decades ago.

“We want Trump to be re-elected; we would be glad to see that happen,” Long said during Credit Suisse’s China Investment Conference yesterday in Shenzhen.

While campaigning, Trump promised that his business acumen would carry into the White House and be a boon for the nation. Instead, he telegraphs every move and, as a result, there have been little benefit for Americans. The only thing he seems truly focused on — outside golf and Twitter — is boosting his own businesses.

1,025 days in, 437 to go

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