Trump Drops His ‘China Hawk’ Mask

“That is stupid idea 101.” – James Carafano, Heritage Foundation (yes, that Heritage Foundation) on the notion of splitting the Putin and Xi axis.

It will surprise no one to know that Carafano and I share the view that the United States cannot sever the Putin-Xi axis. That has not stopped those attached to that view from broadcasting their naivete for all the world to see.

That includes the recent Republican nominee for Vice President, as Josh Rogin laments in the Washington Post.

Vance often invokes China to argue for ending U.S. support for Ukraine.

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But where Vance’s vision really falls short is in ignoring that Ukraine’s success in repelling Russian aggression is crucial for deterring China from attacking Taiwan. Don’t take my word for it. Just ask the Taiwanese, who have stated again and again their belief that if the United States abandons Ukraine, it would embolden Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Indeed, Taiwan isn’t the only American ally in the Pacific who considers Ukraine’s success to be vital.

Still, Vance persists, as do many others, despite two of his idols (Trump himself and Hungary’s Viktor Orban) effectively giving the game away this week. Indeed, everyone hiding behind the rationale that abandoning Ukraine is the best way to focus on the Chinese Communist Party was exposed by Trump and Orban’s recent behaviors.

Orban was the first to let the mask slip in his letter proposing peace talks on Ukraine (WaPo).

Orban’s letter, first reported by the Financial Times, proposes that the E.U. engage China as a possible mediator between Russia and Ukraine — a role Orban says China would only consider “if the chance for success of its engagement is close to certain.” He also called on the bloc to reopen “direct lines of diplomatic communication with Russia.”

So Orban is recommending that the very regime that Trump et al claim to be America’s top rival … take charge of the “peace” talks. That is a very odd method of containment.

If that wasn’t enough, Trump himself made clear that his concern for Xi swallowing up Taiwan is … less the desired (AP and NBC). Most unnerving was his insistence that Taiwan “pay us for defense” – which clearly indicates an ignorance of the fact that we sell, not give, weapons to Taiwan for its defense.

In other words, Taiwan already pays us, thank you very much.

Trumpers and Orbanists may still make the claim that Moscow and Beijing can somehow be separated. Their icons know better. We should, too.