Beijing may be ready to deal as it eyes slowing growth, a weakening yuan and other challenges.
Despite such interventions, it will be hard for the government to resist yuan depreciation. The weakening reflects a long-term growth slowdown—the natural diminishing returns of economic development.
.. a combination of slower growth, debt defaults and inflation will continue to weaken the yuan and reduce capital inflows. Foreign reserves, which grew for decades, have declined since 2014. The Chinese elite are cognizant of these problems, hence their increasingly desperate attempts to smuggle wealth out of the country.
.. Mr. Trump has been dealt a stronger hand than he could have asked for on trade with China, which has more incentive to negotiate than ever. He should walk away with a better deal from Beijing than any of his predecessors were able to extract. Mr. Trump may even be able to make progress on geopolitical issues, such as limiting China’s military adventures in international waters and securing its help on North Korea.