Earlier this week, American federal agents arrested several Korean workers from a Hyundai manufacturing facility in Georgia. This happened despite the two countries having signed a trade deal, which includes a $350 billion US fund to enable Korean investments into the US.
This is another indication that there is no end-point to negotiations with the Trump administration. Analysts often think about a trade deal as an endpoint that will put an end to the aggressive behaviour by the current administration.
In reality, it seems to be an infinite game where countries will have to manage an administration that’s attempting a domestic revolution with widespread global consequences.
This was the thought running in my head when the US President toned down his rhetoric on India, and was promptly reciprocated by the Indian PM.
You can read Sanjay’s article on this topic here
Sanjay Kumar of Arab News asked me about what these moves signal, and this was my response:
The statements indicate that both sides want to resolve outstanding issues and haven’t given up on each other.
But this yo-yoing will likely continue in the Trump administration. The volatility in the US will continue to affect its international relationships. Stability is the exception not the norm as recent arrests of South Korean workers by Ice agents illustrate.