Doubts, fears linger as Trump takes office

20 January 2017
Doubts, fears linger as Trump takes office
US President-elect Donald J. Trump speaks during the Candlelight Dinner at Union Station, one day before Trump is sworn in as the 45th President of the United States in Washington, DC, USA, 19 January 2017. Photo: Chris Kleponis/EPA

Donald Trump will be sworn in as US president on Friday. In the past two months since he won the election, he has behaved differently to all other presidents-elect of the modern era. Right from when he steps foot in the White House, people are full of doubts and worries about how he will lead the US.
He assumes an office which wields the most power in the world, and every single action he makes will have a tremendous impact. In the best case, he could work to better the world, but he could also disrupt international order.
Trump is addicted to Twitter, frequently opining on major affairs and policies. He continued to pronounce on diplomatic affairs before officially becoming president. 
No one really knows how much weight his tweets carry. No president-elect in US history has behaved as singularly as Trump.
Now the US and the world have President Trump. Many people still hope that Trump will behave differently after his inauguration. He might have wanted to make a show, and when he takes power he may bring certainty to the US and the world.
We hope that Trump can show a sense of responsibility that matches his power and clearly acknowledge the obligation of a US president for world peace and stability. At the very least, his basic goal should be that when he steps down, the US will be more prosperous and the world more peaceful and stable.
Trump is also expected to display his strategic wisdom and push forward his ambitious plan to revive the US economy in constructive ways. The growth of a modern economy must be a win-win, rather than zero-sum, process. "America first" can be a loud slogan, but cannot serve as a real strategy. Intensifying conflicts with the outside world can hardly win the US any interests, and Trump should realize the value of cooperation.
The Trump team should project an aura of humility. The US system advocates an assertive political style, but inner modesty is essential. Trump and his team have given the world an impression that they are hard-liners, and they have shown their confidence that "nothing is impossible" for them. But it has been proved that some objectives are out of US reach.
The Trump team boasts a solid foundation to carry out its ambitions, but it should be in awe of principles and boundaries. Trump and his advisors should avoid the mistake of going too far.
Domestic politics are at the center of governance for every country, and the stability of the international landscape can help with a country's domestic governance. The imperial era when a country achieved prosperity through expeditions and compulsory foreign trade has long gone. Modern trade requires mutual benefit. Once major international relations fall into chaos, the US is bound to suffer the same as other countries.
During the over four decades of engagement between China and the US, problems have always existed between the two, but they are never the dominant factors in directing bilateral ties. A favorable Sino-US relationship represents great progress in human political civilization, and it is hoped that Trump will consolidate this trend.
Courtesy Global Times