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Trump Risks Antagonizing China After Call With Taiwan; Remains Of Crash Victims Being Returned To Brazil; South Koreans Demand President Park Resign Immediately; Europe Faces Rising Tide Of Populism. Aired 2-2:30a ET

Aired December 03, 2016 - 02:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[02:00:13] NATALIE ALLEN, CNN NEWSROOM ANCHOR: China issues some tough words after Donald Trump has a surprise phone call with Taiwan's president.

A somber goodbye to those killed in the plane crash in Colombia as the victims' remains are sent back to Brazil.

And two major votes rules over Europe. How the ballots in Italy and Austria could usher in a new era of populism on the continent.

That's all ahead here on CNN's Newsroom. We're live in Atlanta. I'm Natalie Allen.

And thank you for joining us. China is not pleased with Taiwan's call to the U.S. president-elect. Donald Trump broke nearly 40 years of protocol by talking with Taiwan's leader on Friday. China's foreign minister says, the 10 minute chat was a "Shenanigan" by Taiwan. Trump has said Taiwan's president initiated the call. China considers Taiwan a renegade province and opposes official contact.

Elise Labott now has more on the call and possible fallout.

ELISE LABOTT, CNN GLOBAR AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's a stunning breach of protocol and a break with decades of U.S. foreign policy. The Trump transition team releasing a statement announcing the call with the Taiwanese president saying during the discussion, Trump and the Taiwanese president "Noted the close economic political and security ties that exist between Taiwan and the United States."

President-elect Trump also congratulating President Tsai on becoming the president of Taiwan earlier this year. The Taiwanese had said that the conversation also talked about strengthening the relationship between the U.S. and Taiwan.

Now, we understand an adviser to the Trump transition Stephen Yates is in Taiwan. He helped facilitate that call. Yates is the former adviser to Vice President Dick Cheney. He's known to be very pro- Taiwan. We're told the Obama administration was not told of the call until after it happened.

And also, already the Chinese are chiming in speaking to a Taiwanese leader is something no American president or president-elect has done for nearly 40 years because the U.S. has no diplomatic relations with Taiwan since 1979, respecting the so-called one China policy. China considers Taiwan part of its territory. Chinese state media already calling the exchange an unprecedented break in that policy and that Beijing opposes any contact between Washington and Taipei.

So this is sure to cause an initial diplomatic uproar with China even before President-elect Trump takes office. The former diplomats note that many incoming Republican administrations have sought to elevate Taiwan over China. President Reagan invited a Taiwanese delegation to his inaugural ball. And President George W. Bush also increased arm sales to Taiwan.

So while there could be some gestures of early on to show some more respect to Taiwan, long time former diplomats don't predict this will be an end to the one China policy because the relationship with China is just too important.

Elise Labott, CNN, Washington.

ALLEN: Let's talk more about that policy and China's reaction to this with CNN's Steven Jang joining me now from Beijing. They have called it so far shenanigans perhaps some of the part of Taiwan. What more are they saying about this Steven?

STEVEN JANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well Natalie, that's right. The "shenanigan" term came from Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi who responded to reporters' questions about this phone call earlier on Saturday.

Mr. Wang also says, "I don't think it will change the one China policy that U.S. administrations have adhered to over the years. The one China policy is a cornerstone of a healthy China-U.S. relationship. And I hope this political foundation won't be disrupted or damaged."

So here we have it, the first official Chinese response to this phone call. Now, it seems -- for now, the Chinese are trying to give the benefit of a doubt to the Trump team by blaming Taiwan for this very sharp breach of diplomatic practice and protocol.

I think for a good reason because like many other people, the Chinese government is very much likely trying to decipher the true meaning of this phone call. Was it just a blunder because of the lack of international experience by the Trump team, or was it something more significant? Does it signal a major policy shift by the incoming White House? And I think they are trying to find out and it's probably going to take some time.

[02:05:01] And I think it's also a very steep learning curve on both sides Natalie, for Mr. Trump and his team. They are learning to navigate very intricate and complicated international relations map. And for the Chinese government, like many other governments around the world, they're trying to adapt to this new reality of dealing with and a respond to a U.S. president-elect or soon to be U.S. president who likes to conduct business and foreign policy on twitter. Natalie?

ALLEN: Right, his own way and perhaps other countries just testing the waters to see what Donald Trump is really about. But talk to us Steven a little more about this one China policy. It maybe surprising to some people to know that Mr. Trump, the president-elect is the first president now to talk with a Taiwanese president since 1979. And what's behind all of that?

JANG: That's right. The one China policy basically said, there is only one China in the whole world and Taiwan is part of that nation. Now, the two sides meaning Washington and Beijing have maintained some sort of strategic ambiguity in terms of how they interpret this. But that has been, as the foreign minister put it the cornerstone of the relationship between the two sides.

Now, it's interesting that Xi Jinping, the Chinese president actually met with former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger on Friday in Beijing. Now Kissinger was of course instrumental in establishing ties between Beijing and Washington in the 1970s. And Mr. Xi told him that it is critically important for both sides to correctly understand each other's strategic intentions.

And of course hours later, Mr. Trump had that phone call with Ms. Tsai really putting Mr. Xi's statement to the test. So I think that's why it's really taking some time for the Chinese government to issue a response because they are really trying to decipher and figure out the true strategic intentions of Mr. Trump and his team.

And as you mentioned, Elise mentioned, this relationship is simply too important to be hijacked by any single issue. But Taiwan of course is the red line that the Chinese government simply does not want anyone to cross. Natalie?

ALLEN: All right, well thanks so much. Our Steven Jang there in Beijing. Thanks.

Donald Trump took to twitter to defend his conversation saying, "The president of Taiwan called me today to wish me congratulations on winning the presidency. Thank you." He also tweeted, "Interesting how the U.S. sells Taiwan billions of dollars of military equipment but I should not accept a congratulatory call."

A top Trump adviser was quick to defend his exchange with Taiwan. Kellyanne Conway spoke earlier about the call with CNN's Anderson Cooper and implied that Trump was fully aware of its implications.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KELLYANNE CONWAY, TRUMP SENIOR ADVISER: I can't discuss anything beyond what's been publicly said. And I won't do that. And this is the president-elect, this will be his administration. He'll be commander in chief and he'll be president of the United States imminently now. And he either will disclose or not disclose the full content of that conversation. But he is well aware of what the U.S. policy has been.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST "ANDERSON COOPER 360": There have been questions raised about the briefing materials that President-elect Trump has used in phone calls with world leaders, whether or not he's used state department briefing booklets and information there, and, you know, the expertise of people from the state department that's been available to him. Can you confirm if he did consult that before this phone call?

CONWAY: I can confirm he has access to those materials and he has access to daily briefings. He has access to other information that comes to him from official government agencies.

COOPER: Does he uses them?

CONWAY: Of course he uses it. He reads everything. And the guy is the busiest guy in the planet pretty much has been for a while now. But the president-elect is fully engaged works puts in just pours the time in has talk to. He and Vice President-elect Pence have talked to probably about 45 or 50 leaders by now or met them. And has talked to probably 80 people or so as advisers, folks who are offering their counsel, their experiences, their vision, whether or not they ended up being official part of his administration aside, they are just people who want to offer their expertise as captains of industry or folks who have been opinion leaders or people who have been active in government in policy making.

And so, that will continue. And he takes information provided that is given to him and provide and he avails himself of any number different of information sources including those that come from the state department and including those that come from intelligence briefings.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: Kellyanne Conway earlier on CNN.

Well, in addition to Taiwan's president, Trump had a phone conversation with another Asian leader, Friday, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. He has been called the Trump of the east for his temperament. And he's threatened to sever ties with the U.S. His spokesman says Mr. Duterte had a short chat with Trump who wished him well in his anti-drug campaign. Human rights who watched has criticized that campaign which it says it killed over 5,000 Filipinos since July.

[02:10:04] And other news we're following. The remains of the victims of Monday's plane crash in Colombia are on their way now back to Brazil. Three planes carrying the bodies are expected to arrive within the next few hours. Seventy-one people were killed, many of them football players for the Brazilian Chapecoense Club. Their coffins will be taken to the Arena Conda, the club's stadium in Chapeco. Here's Shasta Darlington with more.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHASTA DARLINGTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: For many on the Brazilian soccer team Chapecoense this is the final journey home. Hearses bearing 64 coffins drive slowly through Medellin.

Fans and supporters cheering them on in a last show of solidarity and affection. After the tragic plane crash of LaMia Flight 2933 cut so many lives short. A military guard of honor at the airport where the bodies were received with care and a heart felt tribute. A catholic priest offers a blessing. Then the bodies carried one by one aboard Brazilian military planes. Brazil's ambassador to Colombia just one of many mourning the victims.

JULIO BITELLI, BRAZILLIAN AMBASSADOR TO COLUMBIA: It was a fairy tale, a small club from a small town, ready to play what would be their most important match in history. It just breaks your heart. Everything was ready for a beautiful party.

DARLINGTON: First plane loaded, then the second and third. Finally, taking off for Brazil, where grieving families and fans await.

Shasta Darlington, CNN, Medellin, Colombia.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ALLEN: Well, welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. Tens of thousands of South Koreans are again gathering to march against Park Geun-Hye in Seoul. This is live video here from the latest march. They're demanding she step down immediately rather than waiting on the impeachment proceedings that are to start next week.

Our Saima Mohsin following the development for us, she joins us now live from the capital. Hi there Saima. And it's amazing. This is the sixth week running these people have taken to the streets and they are somehow keeping up their momentum.

[02:15:03] SAIMA MOHSIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, it is incredible Natalie actually. When I flew into Seoul it had been five weeks since. And everyone was discussing how can they keep this up that they have that were doubts (ph) today because temperatures are starting to drop just how many people would turn out. But as you can see behind me, tens of thousands have gathered. And in the last few minutes Natalie, they have now started their march towards the Blue House.

That's the house in the distance behind me just in front of the mountain. You can see. It's the presidential palace. We just put a call in to the Blue House to ask where President Park Geun-Hye is. And apparently she is inside there, perhaps watching all of this unfolds before her eyes. But early morning Natalie, people are out with loud speakers, music playing. They've adapted Korean pop songs to -- for Heya heya which means impeachment, impeachment. And they're really been trying in front to gather people together and they certainly has come out for the emergency people's movement. Natalie?

ALLEN: And Saima, it seems almost certain that President Park will go. The question really is how and when.

MOHSIN: Yeah, absolutely. There's been a number of possibilities that's been laid out. She, of course, tried to curb any sign of impeachment by offering to resign if parliament wants her to. Parliament was unable to respond perhaps as quickly as the protesters behind me would have liked them to. So the opposition parties have failed to really get themselves together and organized, Natalie. They were -- they announced that they would go ahead with impeachment. But they didn't do so on December 2nd which is Friday here in Seoul as they had promised to. That's now been announced that they would -- they have already put forward a motion for impeachment for a vote on December 9th.

Now, because of that disarray, because of that lack of organization by the opposition parties, there's a simultaneous protest Natalie outside the National Assembly, that's about 20 minutes away from here. And those people are now marching down towards here. They will join the protesters here to go towards the Blue House.

Now, they are calling for the opposition parties to get their act together. They want to see President Park Geun-Hye go. They want to see her go quickly, not on her time line but on the people's time line. And so they want to see either impeachment or resignation. And crucially Natalie, it's now a numbers game.

The opposition party make up a 165 members. They need 35 more votes, 200 votes to impeach President Park Geun-Hye which means people of her own party, the Saenuri Party will also pay a crucial role. And that's what the people here today, that's what those chants behind me -- I don't know if you can hear the loud speaker and music, but that's what they're saying. They're saying get your act together, hear our voice, hear the people of South Korea's voice. Natalie?

ALLEN: We can hear them and we certainly see the numbers of people out there on the streets. Yet again, pretty remarkable. Saima Mohsin for us. Thanks Saima.

Well, separate vote on Sunday might bring major political changes to Europe. Italy's prime minister has made his final pitch ahead of a constitutional referendum. Matteo Renzi says making the senate smaller would improve efficiency. But opponents say the reforms would eliminate crucial checks and balances.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATTEO RENZI, ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER, (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): If yes wins, Italy will become a leader in Europe. Not because we're good but because the international scene is in chaos and Europe is struggling. The countries that were brought to the European project today are those that dream of building walls.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: Mr. Renzi says he will quit if the reforms are rejected. That could increase support for candidates who are against immigration and who are skeptical of the European Union. And the presidential election in Austria is crucial for the future of the E.U. Leftist candidate Alexander Van der Bellen, there in glasses, supports staying in the union. He won the election in May but a rerun was ordered due to voting irregularities.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ALEXANDER VAN DER BELLEN, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): This is about which direction our homeland, Austria, is supposed to take. Do you want to build up our old borders again, outside the E.U. and go in to the future on our own? Or do we want Austria to stay an important member of the E.U.?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ALLEN: The other leading candidate is Norbert Hofer, right there. He could become the first far right head of state in Western Europe since World War II. Mr. Hofer initially supported to vote on Austria's E.U. membership. He has backed away from that now. His opponent says, Hofer still wants Austria to leave the E.U. but Hofer says he just wants to strengthen the union.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NORBERT HOFER, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): I get asked by a lot of media representatives, will Austria quit the European Union? No. Austria's duty as a country in the middle of Europe is to develop this union.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[02:20:02] ALLEN: Austria's election and Italy's referendum are the latest testing grounds for the rise of populism across Europe. In short, voters are turning their backs on established political figures and looking for new solutions and new leaders.

CNN International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson takes a look at what's fueling all of this.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: There is a sense in Europe that populism is on the rise. They saw what happened with the Brexit vote appropriate now to the European Union. They've seen was happen in the United States. Donald Trump is now president-elect, soon to be president. There's a sense in Europe among some of the parties that wouldn't have expected to do as well in the past that they can garner support through a populist message, through trying to sort of sell, if you will, the current politicians, the established politicians a tone deaf and not listening to people.

In Austria for example, Norbert Hofer there is campaigning on a being against liberal democracies. Being a pro U.S. and Russia reestablishing stronger ties against sanctions have been put in place on Russia over Russia's annexation of Crimea.

In Italy, you have the five star party which applauded Britain's Brexit vote. You could see that party do better in this referendum that Matteo Renzi, the prime minister is essentially taking as a referendum on his own popularity and standing. It is in fact a referendum on political needed political reforms that he is calling for. His critics say that puts too much power in the hands of the prime minister. His foreign minister says that's not the case that the powers of the prime minister in Italy would merely be those that you will see across the rest of Europe. So what you see is a rejection of the current politicians by populations that are getting behind the message that the politicians are tone deaf to their problems. Some of these problems caused by the economic downturn in 2008. Italy certainly has a problem with immigration, a lot of migrants coming from North Africa. You see Italy's towns and villages, many of them are sort overflowing in parts with migrants. Certainly they have migrants but they didn't have them a few years ago. The population sees this.

Then in Austria for example, a population of 8 million people have accepted the applications from 90,000 asylum seekers in 2015. They have seen more than a million migrants or almost a million migrants passed through their borders. So these messages resonate. And when the leaders, as we saw in Britain don't appear to respond to the electorate's concern, this populist message is gaining traction and potentially that's what we could see this weekend in Austria and Italy.

Nic Robertson, CNN, New York.

ALLEN: Well of course we're following the outcomes of those votes. You're watching CNN NEWSROOM. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ALLEN: A deadly winter storm swept through Poland Thursday, leaving thousands without power. Here's our meteorologist Derek Van Dam following that story for us. Derek.

DEREK VAN DAM, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yeah. Unfortunately Natalie, there were over a 189,000 customers without power, thanks to this winter storm and winter blast of cold air that came through Poland on Thursday. And unfortunately without electricity, some people can't heat their homes. And that ultimately led to the two fatalities. Let's bring you there.

[02:25:01] We're showing you pictures and images from Warsaw in the staggered Poland region. Again, two fatalities with this latest snowstorm. Wow, really looking like winter there. Heavy snow, fierce winds from this latest arctic blast. And unfortunately, there is more snow and cold air to come. A very chilly forecast in store for Eastern Europe and in to Russia of course.

We're heading in to the winter season which starts later this month for this part of the world. You can see that cold air which is represented by the shading of blue and pink that's really impacting parts of Russia and Hungary, as well as Poland. Again, that's where the fatalities occurred. And it's all thanks to an area of high pressure that's just starting to drive down the temperatures from the north in the arctic.

We also have a storm system that we're monitoring across the Iberian Peninsula more on that in just one second. Here's the temperature for Warsaw going forward over the next seven days. Average day time high, one degree above freezing, we will definitely be below that with on and off against snow showers. Even colder yet in Moscow. One would expect chilly temperatures at this time of year but get a load of this, we should be just below that freezing mark. But you can see by Sunday, we'll be eight below 11 below by the middle of next week. So you can see that periodic cold air continuing to slip in from the north.

And we talked about another storm system across the Iberian Peninsula. Look at Spain into Portugal, we have the potential today. And into Sunday morning for heavy rain and we can't rule out isolated tornados and even the potential of hail. So if you're perhaps in Lisbon, you want to take that in to consideration or perhaps you are on the streets of Gibraltar and to the extreme north and sections of Morocco.

Two other quick things I want to get to, of course we've got Italian's voting on Sunday for a crucial referendum. It looks like the voting could be impacted by a bit of weather rain showers anticipated across that region, especially if you're in the north and west. And Natalie, we also have Austria voting for the next president on Sunday. The weather will not play a factor in people heading to the polls.

ALLEN: Alright.

VAN DAM: Little FYI.

ALLEN: Thank you for that complete report on Europe. Thanks Derek.

Well surprise announcement, the reigning Formula One champ Nico Rosberg says he's retiring. The news comes just five days after he won the world title at Abu Dhabi. In a Facebook statement, Rosberg says winning the title was his dream. He says quote, I have climbed my mountain, I am on the peak so this feels right. My strongest emotion right now is deep gratitude to everybody who supported me to make that dream happen. And with that, he's out.

Thanks for watching the CNN NEWSROOM. I'll be right back with our top stories.

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