An Alan Smithee Nation wrote:Novus America wrote:Sure you are in a bad negotiating position (but you would never get anything good out of the PRC anyways, whose trade policies are purely predatory so reducing trade with them is good).
If our government had an ounce of sense they would have played the US and China off against each other.
Not going to work because neither needs you for trade and you have little either needs or wants.
How would that work? You offer to buy more agricultural products from the US?
Why would the PRC care? All they care about is dumping stuff on you, they will never give you fair access to the very restricted PRC markets. For the PRC trade is a one way street. You buy their stuff.
They do not give you anything in return.
Besides that would require you giving up on Hong Kong completely.
Besides playing both sides just earns the enmity of both. Because then both sides see you are not their friend.
Pick the less bad side.