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Md Nadim Ahmed's avatar

Look, since we're running with this America-China divorce metaphor... ASEAN and Africa are basically those savvy kids who've mastered the art of playing both parents. You know the type - "But Daddy Xi promised me a Belt and Road!" followed by "Mom America, I thought we had a special Indo-Pacific thing going?"

The EU is totally that meddling mother-in-law who keeps forwarding relationship advice articles nobody asked for, insisting "you two just need to communicate better!" while passive-progressively criticizing everyone's trade policies over dinner.

And us Aussies? Well, we started as the well-meaning couples counselor ("Have you tried a bilateral dialogue about your feelings?"), but let's be honest - we quickly realized there's way more money in handling the divorce proceedings. Nothing personal, just business... and maybe a few defense contracts. 💼

P.S. We're happy to hold onto any disputed assets while you figure things out. For safekeeping, of course. 😉

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T LI's avatar

“Like any divorce, there will be minimal interest for each side to talk to each other. Like any divorce, the couple try to “decouple” from each other as soon as possible.”

I wouldn't say any or all divorce is like this. Some divorces (and breakups) are often one sided (or at least starts off as one sided): one spouse/partner can't stand any longer and can't wait to break free, while the other desperately tries to hold it together, often by compromising and giving up something. However efforts are often frutile. I have always said, it takes two to tango and make a relationship work; but it only takes one to end one.

Certainly some parallel our current situation.

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