Abstract

Donald Trump, the 47^th President of the United States, has an opportunity to be a great American President by making good his promise to make America Great Again (MAGA), But he needs a new China policy and a new US-China relationship as well as a broader ‘make All World Great Altogether’ drive to make MAGA successful with the participation of China and others.

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China’s rapid rise and continuous advancement are propelled by Chinese people working under a different system. Information Technology and Innovation (ITIF) and the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) both reported that China is currently (2023) leading in advanced science and technology across 7 out of 10 categories (ITIF) and 37 out of 44 critical technology areas (ASPI). On military assessment, our Pentagon report has clearly stated that China has made significant advances in its navy (carriers and battleships, increase in number and fighting power), air force (stealth jets and 6^th generation high-speed fighter planes), and rocket force (various missiles and ICBM with accuracy in guidance and supersonic speed). Can we compete with China? Yes, we can, but not as an enemy. Rivalry leads to war and mutual destruction. Collaborative competition stimulates progress with mutual benefits.

MAGA is a timely call and the right movement to deal with our problems and pump up our strength and productivity, but MAGA has broad demand and has long-range persistent needs and solutions. The U.S. needs to focus on MAGA goals, and MAGA needs partners (not adversaries) to be successful. It requires a well-planned global collaborative plan to make MAGA last more than one presidential term propelled by a ‘Make All World Great Altogether’ (MAWGA) drive. Let’s be honest about China. China is a growing power that can help us if we are on collaborative terms but not as hostile enemies. Ideologically, we must be honest about democracy and governance. Democracy is an easily accepted value because its principle is easy to understand, that is, people are the master. Then, governing systems and methods and detailed procedures for carrying out people’s rights are varied and complex. To this day, there is no perfect system existing, including American democracy or any other democracy. We have our share of problems in elections, direct and indirect voting schemes, problematic campaigns, election financing, etc.

China believes that people are the master as well, perhaps the governance is more parenting than other systems. (Some freedoms are taken away by parents, but do parents always know better for their children? Lifting 800 million people out of poverty may be the answer.) They decided that one large, rigorous, and strong party system may suit China better. The Chinese Communist Party has 96 million card-holding members. Their member system has far more rigor in terms of duty or responsibilities and evaluation or merit grading system than any other political party existing today. (Nazi may have a similar rigor, but it does not have the broad representation CCP has.) Ninety-six million party members are almost equivalent to having one member per four families (1400 million/96 million = 14.5 ~ 4 families if discounting under-aged children from its population, the CCP membership representation is ~ one in 7 or 8 citizens. This high representation makes the CCP very attached to common citizens, their needs, and their welfare. That representation and accountability make the CCP government efficient and responsive to the Chinese people. The CCP party hierarchy uses election and meritocracy to select and promote its members. In politics or parties, corruption always exists, and the CCP, as a large party, stresses discipline has a good reason. The anti-corruption campaign is an insurance program to uphold successes. So, it is illogical to condemn the CCP and conclude that our democratic system is better. CCP’s efficiency speaks largely for China’s rapid rise.

The U.S. needs partners to make MAGA successful and long-lasting beyond one presidential term with an MAWGA plan. China is a good collaborative partner since it possesses a powerful engineering force in infrastructure development, advanced technology, and especially in manufacturing, and practical experience from dealing with scarcity and hardship to innovation. If China could be a partner in the U.S. MAGA program, the advantages are obvious. All the national security concerns are rhetoric. From the espionage point of view, it is a lot safer to work closely as partners to prevent ‘built-in spy’ issues. The MAGA goals and objectives are broad and long-term, the U.S. needs more partners than just China alone. Furthermore, MAGA should have objectives to enhance the U.S. as an international player, not just as an isolationist. It makes sense to broaden the MAGA vision to MAWGA (Make All World Great Altogether). This concept will make MAGA more attractive from an international perspective. It will not make the U.S. MAGA just a selfish program for the benefit of the U.S. but will draw international attention and support in the long run.

For example, if the U.S. would embargo a high-speed rail network along the West coast from north to south and connect eastward to Texas, even Florida, it pays to have a longer vision to eventually connect to the entire America benefiting both the North and South American continent. This is the basic concept of MAWGA. In the planning of MAGA, a projection to MAWGA will bring long-term benefits domestically and internationally. China’s BRI program is MAWGA-oriented. For any US plan of MAGA project with MAWGA drive, China and other nations would be interested. Hence, any US MAGA/MAWGA project would draw more interested partners from around the world. With this vision, one not only can make MAGA get a quick start but also can make MAGA lasting as a forever-going program with lasting success.

The opportunity is here for President Trump to take. With a successful start of the MAGA program collaborating with China and planned to be broadened and long-lasting beyond the 47^th US Presidency, Trump X.0 will make history. Trump will make Trump good (MTG), and he will be one of the greatest American presidents. Trump may receive a Nobel Prize even though it may not be a big deal as making MAGA and MAWGA successful.