Trump's China Lesson

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen with two advisers on the call with Trump

Beijing surely when into fits of volcanic rage when US President-elect Donald Trump talked to Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen on Friday evening Hong Kong time.

It later emerged that it was Taiwan that initiated the call that lasted 10 minutes in which included issues of economy and defense, according to Taiwan's Presidential Office.

"During the discussion, they noted the close economic, political and security ties between Taiwan and the United States," the office said in a statement on Saturday.

US President Jimmy Carter recognized the one-China policy

The conversation broke protocol that previous US presidents have followed of no direct contact with Taiwanese leaders since 1979, when then US President Jimmy Carter recognized the "one China" policy, shifting its support from Taiwan to mainland China, though it still has unofficial ties with the island.

Beijing's official response was cool -- it lodged an official representation to Washington on Saturday, urging it to uphold its commitment to the one-China policy.

However, Trump isn't yet president, so technically the phone call was not official. But it does seriously question the brash businessman's knowledge of the geopolitics in Asia, and if his advisers know they are provoking the dragon by pulling on its tail for no good reason as evidenced by his tweet:

Does Donald Trump understand the geopolitics in Asia?

"Interesting how the US sells Taiwan billions of dollars of military equipment but I should not accept a congratulatory call."

Sounds like a sly move on Taiwan's part to get Trump embroiled in a mess with China even before he becomes president.

How Trump handles China -- or the rest of the world for that matter -- will reveal what kind of president he is. Many within the US and around the world are terrified of what he will do after he is inaugurated domestically and globally.

It's so bizarre to see a reality TV show personality become the leader of the most powerful country in the world.

But does he understand this reality is not a TV show?

Meet Cartoon Deng

A cartoon likeness of Deng Xiaoping in a new animated documentary

How did I miss this news earlier this week?

There is a new animated documentary about paramount leader Deng Xiaoping that was released yesterday.

The cartoon Deng appears in about a dozen scenes re-enacting several Chinese historical events as part of the documentary Mr Deng Goes to Washington, about his landmark visit to the United States in 1979 and met then US President Jimmy Carter.

Mixed with the cartoon animation are rare archival footage and interviews.

A scene from Mr Deng Goes to Washington

What's interesting about this film is that Chinese leaders have rarely had their likenesses translated into cartoons, as it was considered politically sensitive or inappropriate for senior leaders to be made into caricatures.

However, after a 24-year-old animation-production student at Beijing Film Academy drew the cartoon Deng, it was presented to his family and given the green light.

In one scene, the Chinese leader visits Siminton, Texas, where the Josey sisters performed a rodeo show for him. At that event Martha Josey rode her horse to the stands where Deng sat and put a white cowboy hat on his head.

But according to the documentary, not many knew that one of the sisters had fallen off a horse that day.

Deng adjusting his cowboy hat given to him by Martha Josey

"Deng Xiaoping was concerned and sent his own doctor to check on her," says director Fu Hongxing. "The sisters have been training on horseback since they were children, so the girl was all right. But they were touched because Deng cared so much about two country-girls in the US. The memory remained in their minds for more than 30 years."

Whether it's blatant propaganda or another soft-power initiative by China, Mr Deng Goes to Washington may spark more interest in the US to learn about its relations with the Middle Kingdom.

Every bit helps as the the US seems to be faltering in its China policy at the moment and needs more bright creative minds to smooth over diplomatic tensions...