The Chinese are wary of Donald Trump's creative destruction

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Donald Trump is leading a double life. In the West, most foreign policy experts see him as reckless, unpredictable and self-defeating. But though many in Asia dislike him as much as the Europeans do, they see him as a more substantial figure.

I have just spent a week in Beijing talking to officials and intellectuals, many of whom are awed by his skill as a strategist and tactician.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 27, 2018, with the headline The Chinese are wary of Donald Trump's creative destruction. Subscribe