Hitherto, I have, rather naively, believed - perhaps 'hoped' is a better word - that the Chinese dictator, Xi Jinping, was the archetypal 'wily oriental gentleman' which I know leads to the acronym 'WOG' but which I think of as a compliment not an insult. Like just about everyone, including our much vaunted Intelligence Services, I haven't a clue what it going on in the highest political circles in China. As a corporate body, they succeed in looking even more impassive than the waxworks at Madame Tussauds. Thus, one is reduced to dependence on their deeds in order to work out their aims and objectives which is a bit dodgy given that we, by which I mean the West, can only re-act rather than forestall. Of course, we can estimate with a fair degree of accuracy that in general terms what the Chinese want is to rule the world, thus it was and always will be for great global powers but it would be useful to know the details of each little step on the way in order to give them pause.
Adding enormously to the uncertainties is their half-mad puppet, 'Fat Boy Kim', and his concentration camp country, North Korea. 'Fat Boy Kim' is the political equivalent of Jack Nicholson in 'The Shining', sort of predictable in that you know he's going to do something dreadful but you can't be sure exactly when and how!
Kim Jongun Jack Nicholson
Today, of course, we have another 'known unknown' ingredient in the bubbling pot - 'The Donald'! I suppose the only good thing is that Trump's unpredictability in which it is possible for him to say, or tweet, or (heavens to Betsy!) actually do, can actually, and frequently does, change by the hour. So perhaps it is President Xi Jinping who is the most worried.
If so, then in the words of the great historians, Sellars & Yeatman, that "Is a Good Thing!"
Comments