‘President for Life’? Trump’s Remarks About Xi Find Fans in China
On Saturday evening, at the annual Gridiron dinner in Washington, Mr. Trump jokingly said of possible talks with the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un: "As far as the risk of dealing with a madman is concerned, that’s his problem, not mine." Nonetheless,
the remarks appeared to be the first comments made by Mr. Trump about China’s decision to scuttle the two terms for its presidency — part of a remarkable consolidation of power around Mr. Xi — and Chinese analysts took it seriously.
Minxin Pei said that What Trump said should give Xi a modest boost,
That Mr. Trump left the impression of a positive endorsement of Mr. Xi was "unexpected"
and "matters for China," said Zhang Baohui, a professor of international relations at Lingnan University in Hong Kong.
Feng Zhang said that Australia is silent because America, the self-styled leader
of the ‘free world’ after World War II, has abdicated that role under Trump,
Ordinary Chinese who support Mr. Xi are likely to latch on to Mr. Trump’s validation, even though Mr. Trump is viewed by many Western
observers as an embattled president, said Shen Dingli, director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University.
Supported by By Jane Perlez BEIJING — The comment was made behind closed doors, and appeared to be in jest: President Trump told donors on Saturday
that China’s president, Xi Jinping, was now "president for life," and added: "I think it’s great.
" he said. that Chinese leaders care very little whether Trump is seen negatively outside China,
Yascha Mounk said that Donald Trump has the strange habit of being completely transparent about
his deepest desires, despite his long track record of false or misleading statements,