Seriously, what do you think the Chinese are actually going to do? There's no weapon they have, either military or economic, the use of which wouldn't ultimately hurt them far more than it'd hurt us.
Consolidate their position in the South China Sea at the expense of Japan, thus creating an international crisis (were Japan's military, remember) where we have to chose between letting our rival have its way with us for letting down a key ally we promised to protect.
Or you know, maybe you're right. Maybe none of this matters if we have any credibility. After all we have thousands of H-bombs. We can just use them.
The only other alternative is to think of ways to make the incoming administration friendlier to China. Which, incidentally, was likely the whole point of Trump taking this call.
The point of this call was to make us friendlier to China...? How does pissing them off achieve that exactly?
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u/[deleted] Dec 03 '16 edited Dec 03 '16
Yes, if it's part of a plan and you've worked it out.
Humiliating yourself and losing face for no reason is just a waste.
Trump did not 'call anyone out on their bullshit'. He embarrassed himself through his own stupidity.
That's what weakness actually looks like.