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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/oct/14/china-ambassador-cui-tiankai-stumped-on-who-aides-trump-on-trade
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| 'You tell me': China ambassador stumped on who aids Trump on trade | 'You tell me': China ambassador stumped on who aids Trump on trade |
| (4 months later) | |
| China’s ambassador to the US said on Sunday he and other diplomats in Washington did not know which advisers Donald Trump turns to when forming policy on trade. | China’s ambassador to the US said on Sunday he and other diplomats in Washington did not know which advisers Donald Trump turns to when forming policy on trade. |
| Cui Tiankai was asked on Fox News Sunday if he thought the president is guided by moderates or hardliners. | Cui Tiankai was asked on Fox News Sunday if he thought the president is guided by moderates or hardliners. |
| “You tell me,” he replied. | “You tell me,” he replied. |
| “Honestly, I’ve been talking to ambassadors of other countries in Washington DC and this is also part of their problem.” | “Honestly, I’ve been talking to ambassadors of other countries in Washington DC and this is also part of their problem.” |
| Diplomats, Cui said, “don’t know who is the final decision-maker. Of course, presumably, the president will take the final decision. But who is playing what role? Sometimes it could be very confusing.” | Diplomats, Cui said, “don’t know who is the final decision-maker. Of course, presumably, the president will take the final decision. But who is playing what role? Sometimes it could be very confusing.” |
| Cui could have sought the advice of another guest on the same show, Trump’s chief economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, a former free trader who now follows the official line. | Cui could have sought the advice of another guest on the same show, Trump’s chief economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, a former free trader who now follows the official line. |
| Asked if the US and China were on the brink of a “cold war”, Kudlow told Fox he had been “very involved in the trade talks with China”. He could have spoken for Cui too when he added: “Those talks have been unsatisfactory.” | Asked if the US and China were on the brink of a “cold war”, Kudlow told Fox he had been “very involved in the trade talks with China”. He could have spoken for Cui too when he added: “Those talks have been unsatisfactory.” |
| Confrontation with Beijing has long been central to Trump’s worldview, particularly since Steve Bannon, a fierce China hawk, advised on White House policy. | Confrontation with Beijing has long been central to Trump’s worldview, particularly since Steve Bannon, a fierce China hawk, advised on White House policy. |
| Bannon is gone from Trump’s orbit but another key aide, director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy Peter Navarro, is a tariffs hardliner and ultra-loyalist who seems to have the president’s ear. | Bannon is gone from Trump’s orbit but another key aide, director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy Peter Navarro, is a tariffs hardliner and ultra-loyalist who seems to have the president’s ear. |
| Speaking to Bloomberg in March, he said: “My function really as an economist is to try to provide the underlying analytics that confirm [Trump’s] intuition. And his intuition is always right in these matters.” | Speaking to Bloomberg in March, he said: “My function really as an economist is to try to provide the underlying analytics that confirm [Trump’s] intuition. And his intuition is always right in these matters.” |
| In a column published by Fox this week, Navarro linked policies meant to protect US businesses to the emergence of China as a major military threat. | In a column published by Fox this week, Navarro linked policies meant to protect US businesses to the emergence of China as a major military threat. |
| The US trade representative, meanwhile, is Robert Lighthizer. Politico said this month he was implementing “a clear but ultra high-risk battle plan to smash China”. | The US trade representative, meanwhile, is Robert Lighthizer. Politico said this month he was implementing “a clear but ultra high-risk battle plan to smash China”. |
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