• Trump and China: the U.S. administration released a report – commissioned in July 2017 – that outlined the potential vulnerability of military supply chains to foreign providers. This fits clearly within the narrative of how degradation of manufacturing capacity endangers the national defence. The implementation of new legislation beefing-up the U.S. inward FDI screening process (CFIUS) was sped up. • G20 Talks? reports suggest that the Trump team are unlikely to go forward with trade talks with China at the G20 meeting. Clauses that have been inserted into the NAFTA replacement deal seem, to many experts, to be designed to give the U.S. veto over allies’ trade agreements with China. Currency manipulation clauses were also inserted – most likely to set a precedent for talks with allies e.g. Japan/EU. • North Korea: a much more positive Pompeo trip has still not generated any real moves towards nuclear disarmament. A second Trump-Kim meeting is still possible and worries many. Putin wants to meet with Kim. Trump publicly pressured South Korea not to go forwards with reducing sanctions unless he agrees.
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