Diplomacy is no small matter. A ceremony, a speech, a congratulatory letter, and even a sentence, an action, sometimes have a rich connotation, conveying a meaningful meaning.
After Obama took office, his first trip to Canada; after Trump took office, he left the United States for the first time and went to Saudi Arabia.
What about Biden?
Although the vaccination, but take over such a big mess, now a visit is certainly still unrealistic.
Then the phone calls, the first to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the second to Mexican President Lopez.
But for Canada and Mexico, this phone call but may be a mixed bag. In the words of a friend, the other side is more in a secret scream.
Because Biden’s first day in office, Trudeau was still warmly congratulating Biden on his arrival in the White House, Biden’s a smothering hit came.
In spite of Trudeau’s bitter plea, Biden took a big swing and withdrew the Canada-U.S. “Keystone” (Keystone XL) pipeline project.
This is a major project on the North American continent, from the Canadian oil sands mining base in Alberta to lay a pipeline south to the United States. When completed, it will deliver 800,000 barrels of crude oil per day to the United States.
The agreement is in black and white, and construction has begun, but Biden says it’s a no-go.
Trudeau was disappointed. The Canadian governor of Alberta, who suffered huge losses, cursed: this is an “insult” to America’s most important ally and trading partner. How to recover the damage? He called on Trudeau to impose trade and economic sanctions.
The point is, does Trudeau dare?
So, Biden’s phone call is more of a comfort. Trudeau you dissatisfied with the dissatisfaction, I have to do so the United States, you have to understand more.
Of course, Canada’s dissatisfaction, there is another thing. Now the vaccine is hard to find, Canada gets all the Pfizer vaccine, all from the European factory. But Europe has informed Canada that the next delivery will be significantly reduced. The closest Pfizer plant in Canada, the Michigan plant, has all of its production in the United States, and Canada can’t even get a dose.
United States, you can not be so selfish ah!
Of course, not surprisingly, there must have been talk about the Meng Wanzhou issue.
Trudeau is disappointed, but Mexico is more angry.
Last October, Mexico’s former defense minister, Cienfuegos, was suddenly arrested while in transit in Los Angeles on charges of drug trafficking and money laundering.
A Mexican heavyweight, the U.S. side without notice to arrest, and also to prosecute, which triggered a strong resentment of the Mexican community, including the military. Under pressure from the Mexican side, the U.S. Department of Justice later dropped the charges and returned Cienfuegos to Mexico.
Let Mexico more sucked a breath of cold air is, the United States lawlessness, secretly intercepted Cienfuegos cell phone communication content, this example opened, other Mexican dignitaries’ cell phones, it is still possible to be safe?
Angry Mexican Congress, not long ago passed a resolution to cancel the diplomatic immunity of U.S. agents in Mexico law enforcement.
The United States and very angry, Mexico, you stomp on the face, how can I send agents to your side in the future?
But Mexico is, after all, an important neighboring country, after Biden came to power, in the prevention of illegal immigration, the border wall simply can not be relied on, the United States more or less still have to ask Mexico.
Biden’s phone call, it is estimated that also in the appeasement of Mexico. This is all about the predecessor, we look forward, you should give the privilege, or to give.
According to the Mexican president, the two talked about immigration, epidemic prevention and control and other topics in the phone call, the atmosphere is still “friendly and polite”.
This is Biden diplomacy, not like Trump, called Trudeau a “coward”; also no longer build a border wall, but also called Mexico to pay.
This subtle change is also reflected in other areas. For example, the decision not to withdraw from the World Health Organization, offering to extend the U.S.-Russia nuclear arms control agreement for five years.
Meanwhile, two hours after Biden took the stage, he also made a special reference to a conversation he had with the Chinese leader years ago, according to media reports. He said that long ago, during a meeting with the Chinese leader at a private dinner, the latter asked him, “Can you define for me what America is?”
Biden replied, “I can describe it in one word: Possibilities (Possibilities) …… We believe that anything is possible if we set our minds to it.”
Biden, of course, talked about domestic affairs. But the foreign media then noted that Biden mentioned the Chinese leader in the form of a reminiscence and did not make any negative comments about the bilateral relationship, a detail that might be worth noting.
Finally, what to make of it?
The usual rules, three rough views on it.
First, Trump dug a deep enough hole.
The United States and Canada conflict, the United States and Mexico conflict, to a large extent, thanks to Trump. From the aggravation of Canada and Mexico, more can see the United States of America’s bullying. And, indeed, is flipping the pie. Take the “Keystone Pipeline” for example, the Obama administration opposed in 2015, Trump took office in 2017 after the start, Biden 2021 and called a halt to a large number of investments hit the water, tossing the people of the two countries!
Second, the United States remains the United States.
Biden will be a big change? Change will certainly have, but the big change may be a luxury. After all, the United States is still the United States. Talking is good, but doing is bad. Canada on the unspeakable disappointment, has been a model little follower, but how the most hurt is always their own. Not to mention the Mexican proverb: Mexico’s greatest misfortune, is too far from God, too close to the United States.
Third, a new round of the game began.
The hegemony has a hegemonic approach, the little brother has the doorway of the little brother. For example, Mexico, thunder and lightning, the United States can only send back the former Secretary of Defense, and by the way, the withdrawal of the immunity of U.S. agents, which is also a dismount. Of course, after all, the arm can not twist the thigh, Biden appease the two little brothers, but also to stabilize the periphery, and then aimed at a larger target.
Only, for Biden, now the overriding top priority, or anti-epidemic.
America’s suffering is deep and Biden’s responsibility is heavy. Just saw that the White House has finally gotten real, and Fauci has taken it upon himself to demonstrate wearing a mask on the White House Twitter feed. A few seconds of video, quickly on the hot search.
Americans also feel a lot of emotion. In one of the most scientifically advanced countries, so “please wear a mask” a sentence, from Wuhan closed a whole year has passed, more than 400,000 Americans left the earth permanently.
Alas, ignorance is not an obstacle to survival, arrogance is!
