The Eight Tribes of Trump and China
scholars-stage.org
scholars-stage.org
He wants the Chinese leadership to doubt his intentions. He puts a premium in flexibility and sees no advantage in telegraphing to the Chinese his future plans. One of his take-aways from his turn in power is that obscurity and unpredictability work to his advantage.
Wasn't: But, having been accused of being chaotic, he "adopted" it as his vibe. The weave is bullshit. He's chaotic because he's chaotic. But how he messages it to his fanbase, is another story. It isn't an advantage but he sells it like it is and you know what? To the right people, it works.
I doubt it works for the Chinese, either to give them useful clues to his intent, or to impress, or convince them of a line of reasoning. What it does it make it plain there is only a transactional moment, and a risk it will be repudiated before the sharpie ink has dried on the symbolic signing.
In turn the chinese will adopt a posture which advances their cause. It may well be belligerent. It is unlikely to be supplicatory.
I would rather be in another timeline of the wheeler multiverse. If I can't have the one with unicorns and chocolate, I'll settle for the one with less chaotic negotiation approaches.