Trump open to ending sanctions on Russia & ‘One China’ policy

President-elect Donald Trump has expressed openness to lifting sanctions against Russia under certain conditions, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal. When asked about the ‘One China’ policy, he said, “everything is under negotiation.”

In the hour-long interview on Friday, Trump said he is willing to keep the sanctions that the Obama administration recently imposed on Russia “at least for a period of time.” 

Trump stated, however, that he would consider lifting the restrictions, depending on how helpful the Russians are in the fight against terrorism, as well as assisting with other goals that he feels are important to the US.

“If you get along and if Russia is really helping us, why would anybody have sanctions if somebody’s doing some really great things?” Trump said.

The president-elect added that he would be prepared to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin once in office.

“I understand that they would like to meet, and that’s absolutely fine with me,” Trump said.

When asked about the ‘One China’ policy – which involves diplomatic acknowledgement that there is only one Chinese government – Trump said that he would not be opposed to ending the long-standing agreement the US has taken over China-Taiwan relations.

“Everything is under negotiation, including one China,” Trump said.

After winning the presidential election, Trump took a call from Taiwan's leader, Tsai Ing-wen, who congratulated him on the victory.

In response to Trump’s tweet about the call, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi told reporters at Hong Kong-based Phoenix TV, “The one-China principle is the cornerstone of the healthy development of [Sino-US] relations, and we do not want any interference or destruction of this political foundation.”

Trump told the Wall Street Journal that it would have been rude of him not to take the call.

“We sold them $2 billion of military equipment last year. We can sell them $2 billion of the latest and greatest military equipment but we’re not allowed to accept a phone call.”

In the past, Trump has also threatened to legally declare China a currency manipulator. When asked if he was still planning to do that once he takes office, Trump told the Journal, “I would talk to them first...Certainly they are manipulators. But I’m not looking to do that.”