President Trump’s strategic approach using economic leverage to gain U.S. national security has established a very rare victory in the U.N. with unanimous support for Security Council sanctions against North Korea.  Yes, China and Russia supported.
Remember, from Day #1 of his administration President Trump was faced with a threat from N-Korea.  On his departure President Obama told the incoming new President Trump that North Korea would be his #1 Geopolitical national security challenge.
The MSM will likely never give President Trump credit for the remarkable long-term economic strategy he deployed to gain China and Russia’s support today.

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The United Nations Security Council imposed new sanctions on North Korea on Saturday that could slash by a third the Asian state’s $3 billion annual export revenue over Pyongyang’s two intercontinental ballistic missile tests in July.

The U.S.-drafted resolution bans North Korean exports of coal, iron, iron ore, lead, lead ore and seafood. It also prohibits countries from increasing the current numbers of North Korean laborers working abroad, bans new joint ventures with North Korea and any new investment in current joint ventures.

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U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley is structuring a U.N. Security Council resolution toward North Korea by targeting a ban on DPRK exports.  This approach is in line with the larger Trump strategy to leverage economic sanctions as pressure on North Korea to stop advancing military expansion and nuclear weapons.
However, how President Trump has set Nikki Haley up for success on this resolution is something for the history books to write about:

♦First: A review of the possible enhanced sanctions against N-Korea should be incorporated with the larger issue of policy toward the DPRK’s enabler, China.  President Trump, Secretary Mnuchin and Secretary Ross have positioned a severely consequential trade reset between the U.S. and China.  [Trump and Ross delayed an announcement on trade sanctions against China which was scheduled for today.]
♦Second: The enhanced U.S. energy export initiatives, in conjunction with lower oil prices, an outcome of U.S. energy policy and a mutually beneficial relationship between President Trump and Arab states in the GCC, have severely weakened the economic position of Russia.
Russia’s energy export economy is dependent on energy prices remaining high. President Trump has brilliantly worked the geopolitical economic relationships to leverage influence over a large portion of the Russian economy.
Combine these two points and you discover the leverage President Trump’s team has created.
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“The Trump administration believes in free and fair trade and will use every available tool to counter the protectionism of those who pledge allegiance to free trade while violating its core principles. The U.S. is working to restore a level playing field, and under President Trump’s leadership, we will do so. This is a true free-trade agenda.”

[Free-Trade is a Two-Way Street – By Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross – Wall Street Journal, August 1, 2017]
The Trump administration last week celebrated the workers and businesses that make this country great. The purpose of “Made in America Week” was to recognize that, when given a fair chance to compete, Americans can make and sell some of the best, most innovative products in the world.
Unfortunately, many governments across the globe have pursued policies that put American workers and businesses at a disadvantage. For these governments, President Trump and his administration have a clear message: It is time to rebalance your trade policies so that they are fair, free and reciprocal.
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Today Secretary of State Rex Tillerson highlighted events over the past six months.  T-Rex takes another stroll around the globe discussing regional policy, specific state policy, and ongoing challenges.  Secretary Tillerson then takes questions from the media at the conclusion of his remarks.
Very informative. Very well worth watching (T-Rex Begins at 03:40):

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[*Note* We’ll capture and share transcript as soon as possible.]
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Don’t focus on the waves, look closely at the tide.

You wouldn’t know if you just paid attention to the MSM presentations on developments in China, however internally China has already made the shift from Panda to Red Dragon. Over the past twenty years China has climbed economically driven mostly by massive internal manufacturing bolstered by strong central authority controls over their growth.
The Communist Party of China (CPC) is rarely discussed within most media conversations about China’s economic strength. However, in the face of a U.S. President who is no longer going to enable an erosion of America’s economy, President Trump’s trade policies become a risk to the objectives of Xi Jinping.
Big Panda drops the mask and shows the Red Dragon beneath the surface.
The exhibition of China’s military during a parade last weekend, and the words from China’s President Xi Jinping in combination with their facilitation of N-Korea’s aggression, reflect an increasingly obvious outlook China is preparing for conflict; and the Communist Party of China is rallying the Chinese people with a call for economic patriotism.

CHINA – […] The CPC undertakes noble responsibilities to ensure China’s peace and development, and enable people to realize their dreams. The ambitious responsibilities will be better identified when viewed in a historical context.
The CPC, Chinese government and the military should take on their responsibilities. National cohesion is critical for the people’s wellbeing and country’s competitiveness, yet opposing voices often find favor in diverse public opinions. Hence, having a firm leader is crucial for a power’s comprehensive national strength.

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POTUS direct confrontation is not reserved for domestic political enemies, it also applies to external nations threatening the U.S.  However, notice with each example there is an almost identical pattern: ♦An honest attempt at an open handed diplomacy; ♦a rebuke from the opposition in favor of the status quo; ♦a sincere appeal to reconsider; ♦time for reflection, contemplation and planning; ♦a final request not to engage in combat (today); ♦and then the hammer.
The sequence is always the same.

“foolish past leaders” … “We will no longer allow”..

China, the Big Panda, chose the Red Dragon approach and is positioned to feel the big hurt if they don’t take action…

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Finally today we see a significant loss for the “Big Club”. Speaker Paul Ryan, the GOPe professional business class, Wall Street and the U.S. CoC accept the Border Adjustment Tax is not going to be a part of any larger tax reform agenda under the Trump administration.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and President Trump win the policy argument with the removal of the B.A.T.
In a joint statement outlining the forward plans for tax reform the “Big Six” tax negotiators (Speaker Paul Ryan, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady), announce the consumer punishing BAT will not be included.

[…] “While we have debated the pro-growth benefits of border adjustability, we appreciate that there are many unknowns associated with it and have decided to set this policy aside in order to advance tax reform.” (more)

The B.A.T was to revenue collection on imported products and impact on consumers – what the Obamacare mandate was to revenue collection on healthcare and impact on consumers.
The B.A.T  was simply a scheme to embed the cost of renegotiated trade import tariffs, directly onto the consumer, isolated away from any responsibility on the corporation to reduce their own internal efficiencies as a method to keep the price down. It was a dubious and manipulative effort.
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Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has announced a revised set of travel restrictions for U.S. citizens considering travel to the DPRK.
Once in full effect there will be a travel ban in place restricting all travel using U.S. passports.  U.S. humanitarian groups and entities requesting travel to the DPRK will need to request a specific passport from the State Department.

WASHINGTON/SEOUL (Reuters) – The U.S. government on Friday said it will bar Americans from traveling to North Korea due to the risk of “long-term detention” in the country, where a U.S. student was jailed while on a tour last year and later died.
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has authorized a “Geographical Travel Restriction” on Americans to forbid them from entering North Korea, spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.

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Those who have followed the MAGAnomic trade and economic policy closely were aware a tonal shift had taken place in the last several weeks.
Specifically because of their weak position, and faced with the first U.S. President in their modern economic history who intends to stop the erosion of American wealth, China intentionally used North Korean aggression in order to create trade leverage with the U.S.
Today, at the U.S./China Comprehensive Economic Dialogue in Washington DC Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross left no room to doubt the approach President Trump and the U.S. trade team are going to take in the upcoming trade standoff.
At opening remarks between the two sides, Ross outlined the U.S. trade gap with China in unusually blunt terms. While U.S. exports to China have grown in recent years, imports have expanded even faster, leading to a $309 billion trade deficit.

“If this were just the natural product of free-market forces, we could understand it, but it’s not,” Ross said, as Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang looked on. “So it’s time to rebalance in our trade and investment relationship in a more fair, equitable and reciprocal manner.”  (video below)

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In February U.S. President Donald Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping agreed to a format for ongoing trade discussion and economic dialog.  The outcome of their discussions was a 100 day road map to include way-points for economic dialog.
An outcome from the way-point approach was a showing of good faith with China opening their market to U.S. Beef export and the purchase of U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG), while allowing greater access to its financial services sector to U.S.   However, significant trade imbalance remains and ongoing U.S./China economic dialog was scheduled.
Today Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, USTR Robert Lighthizer and White House Adviser Jared Kushner  attended the next phase US – China Comprehensive Economic Dialog meeting.

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*NOTE* after Wilbur Ross delivered his brutally honest remarks the Chinese contingent to the talks cancelled a 5:00pm press conference.
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