The Chinese New Year is almost upon us, and perhaps its animal for 2017 is timely in our current political climate. According to astrologers, the Rooster is cocky, opinionated and attention seeking - sound familiar?
China, one of the powerhouse economies of the world, is entering an uncertain New Year now that Donald Trump rules the roost in Washington. For years it has been tipped to take over America as the biggest global economy. But now its fortunes (and indeed ours) hinge on whether President Trump’s hard-line protectionist agenda will ruffle feathers and ultimately lead to a trade war.
The omens might not look terrific (to use one of the Donald’s favourite words). In just one week, he has accused China of currency manipulation, threatened steep import tariffs on Chinese goods and even indicated that the US will recommence official relations with Taiwan, despite objections from China.
