John Everard

Good morning.

Yes, it is.

I mean, China has changed a great deal in the meantime.

The whole moon music is different.

In 2017, China was falling over itself to prove that it was the equal of the United States, both politically and economically.

Now, it's much more subdued.

China doesn't feel the need to prove anything anymore.

It thinks that, firstly, Donald Trump has stumbled badly over Iran.

That was a grave mistake, say the Chinese.

And secondly, that with the new Chinese advances in robotics, AI, everything, that China has demonstrated already to anybody who wants to listen that it's up there with the United States, nothing more to prove.

That's one of the big questions that we just don't know the answer to yet.

Certainly, the American delegation will, behind the scenes, despite what President Trump said, hope that China will use its massive influence over Iran.

Remember, it buys over 90 percent of Iran's oil to persuade the Iranians to stand down a bit.

But the Chinese are deeply reluctant to get involved in the Middle East.

They see all kinds of risks.

In particular,

to their their reputation and they know that the middle east is a cauldron near you it's very difficult to do anything there without upsetting somebody so they they will probably stand back a bit the big question is donald trump goes to china wanting all kinds of things wanting china in particular to increase its imports of american agricultural products and america

China going to ask for in return?

And the big question here, I don't think so much is Iran, I think it's Taiwan.

Yes, that's right.