by John Faraclas
Further to part 2, we are faced with undiplomatic and in some cases undemocratic manoeuvres – that the bargaining chips in what one might generously call “the new diplomacy” are tariff threats and… migrant flows and expulsions.
Moreover, the death throes of diplomacy turns out to have been a warning that the rules of global trade were going to be rewritten, too –and now it seems that there are no such rules any more.
Without genuine diplomacy, where do things stand between countries, between what are still called “trading partners” ?
In the faint remnants of what used to be deemed diplomacy, there is hardly even a sign of the old, futile game.
The chronic state of international relations – among that a wholesale breakdown of trust towards Washington – was illustrated sharply this week when the Chinese expressed resistance to the Trump administration’s tariffs. China will fight it all the way, said a spokesman for Beijing. Even if the China/US standoff cools down, there will remain considerable rancour. For now, neither side will want to be seen as weak.
The heat is on – and the atmosphere is red hot. Even Bill Ackman, chief of a New York-based hedge-fund who was one of the pro-Trump cheerleaders, has assessed that his hero was launching “economic nuclear war on every country in the world.”
Who can set the scene now given the above and taking on account the continuity of two despicable wars as well as some more to erupt very soon, the dive of the shipping markets – both Dry and Wet…AND… AND…
We look forward to your comments.
