(22 Feb 2017, Hong Kong) It has been one month since the inauguration of President Donald Trump, in which time his unique style and policies have shaken the geopolitical landscape. Patrick Ho Chi Ping, Deputy Chairman and Secretary General of China Energy Fund Committee (CEFC), urged the new US administration to further articulate its Asia policy so as to avoid strategic misjudgment within the region. 

 

Speaking at the 11th Sino-US Colloquium in Hong Kong on Wednesday, Ho expressed concern over the uncertainty brought by the new US presidency. "A Trump administration means a new status quo – one of increased uncertainty,” Ho said. He believes the uncertainty is partly by design, partly due to the degree of change promised, and partly accounted for by the inexperience suffered by all new administrations. 

 

Moreover, Ho pointed out that greater policy clarity will be essential in order to reassure its allies and partners of America’s intentions during a period of rising tensions and strategic rivalry in East Asia. 

 

“Unpredictability will not only undermine confidence in U.S. leadership, it might lead to confusion and misinterpretation with unfortunate consequences. At the same time, with prospects for China-US relations in the new administration far from certain, careful consideration must be given to the concerns and sensitivities of our mutual friends and allies who see little benefit and much at risk from the possibility of Sino-U.S. confrontation,” said Ho. 

 

Dr. Gal Luft, co-director of the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security (IAGS), a Washington based think tank focused on energy security, offered his insights into the Trump presidency and it implications. He argued that Trump sees foreign policy as something that limits his maneuverability, and that he is much more comfortable operating in an environment where he does not have to conform to any broad-stoke ideology, policy or grand strategy. Furthermore, Luft pointed out that Trump is the first US president that does not see the world through the lens of geopolitics, but through the lens of geoeconomics - something that Americans have forgotten. 

 

Dr. Yuan Peng, Vice President of the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR), was in attendance to share his views on the subject during the roundtable discussion. He believes that the biggest risk to China-US relations over the next few months does not lie in specific issues like trade or Taiwan, but in the lack of new channels for communication. Peng suggested that the most urgent task for President Xi and President Trump, both unique and strong leaders, is to find a way to meet and reset new channels for contacting one another as soon as possible. More importantly, we should find new areas of cooperation and think creatively, Peng said, because under Donald Trump's administration nothing is impossible. Finally, Peng proposed inviting Mr. Trump’s America to join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the "Belt and Road" Initiative, as this would be beneficial to both countries and to the whole world. 

 

James Woolsey, former United States Director of Central Intelligence and senior advisor to Mr. Trump during his election campaign, also participated in the discussions and delivered a keynote speech during the forum. With regards to the Sino-US relationship, Woolsey believes the key is to not get bogged down in rhetoric, branding or themes, but to start working together on getting things done. In particular, the “Belt and Road” Initiative, he believes, would seem to offer an opportunity for China and the US to work together on things that are obviously needed, such as building bridges and roads. If we can get the people from both governments into a world where they are working together to start to get things built, Woolsey remarked, much of the tension would be diffused. 

 

The Colloquium, themed the ‘China-US Relationship under the New Administration and the Global Geopolitical Landscape’, was organized by the CEFC and co-organized by the United States Energy Security Council (USESC) and Institute for the Analysis of Global Security (IAGS), and attracted the attendance of consuls general and diplomats from 26 countries, including the US, France, Iran, Israel, India, Japan, Korea, North Korea, Australia and South Africa. Also in attendance were members of the Executive Council of Hong Kong, heads of think tanks, experts and 

 

academics. In addition to Sino-US relations, the discussions also addressed issues such as the North Korean nuclear problem, the Middle East and counter-terrorism cooperation, Cross-Strait relations and the One China Policy, territorial disputes in the South China Sea, as well as the China-US-Russia trilateral relationship. 

 

The China Energy Fund Committee (CEFC) is a non-governmental, non-profit civil society organization. It also serves as a high-end strategic think tank engaged in energy strategy research, energy and public diplomacy, as well as global energy cooperation and cultural exchanges, and enjoys Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC). 

 

The Sino-US Colloquium series have been organized by the CEFC since 2012, aimed at establishing a lasting dialogue mechanism through non-governmental channels. Previous themes have included Asian Energy Security Cooperation: Challenges and Opportunities, A Trialogue with Japan, Core Values and World Order, A New Type of Major-Country Relations and the Roles of Media, and Beyond the Current Distrust.