Retired Colonel Predicts Tarnished Image and Declining Influence

China Sees Opportunity in Taiwan as Trump Damages US Reputation

A retired Chinese colonel believes Donald Trump is damaging the US's reputation, creating opportunities for China, particularly with regards to Taiwan. He predicts that by the end of Trump's second term, America's global image will be tarnished, and its international standing will decline. This, he believes, could affect the mentality of the people of Taiwan, who are aware of America's declining influence.

Zhou questions how confident the Taiwanese can be in the United States, especially under the Trump administration. He suggests that the Taiwanese might eventually consider that they have no choice but to stay with China, and that it might not be a bad thing to be part of the strongest nation on earth.

Zhou believes that the fate of Taiwan is not just up to the Taiwanese people. He points out that China's population of 1.4 billion dwarfs Taiwan's 23 million, and that the mainlanders' perspective on the issue is also important.

Despite tensions over Taiwan, Zhou sees Trump as overall being "rather friendly" towards China. He notes that the tariffs on Chinese imports announced in Trump's first days in office were much lower than the 60% he had threatened.

Zhou believes that the US holds the key to resolving the Ukraine issue and that China will play a role when it comes to a ceasefire or armistice. He suggests that China might send peacekeepers to Ukraine, along with other non-Nato European countries and countries from the global south.

Zhou argues that China has received too much criticism for its relationship with Russia. He points out that the two countries share a long border and that China has to balance Moscow's interests. He describes the China-Russia relationship as "strong, but short of an alliance," comparing it to two parallel lines that never overlap.