And China will not be ignored. The relationship with China "is the most important … for the next president to get right and will have the greatest consequences if they get it wrong," said Xenia Wickett of the British think tank Chatham House. President Xi Jinping, China's most powerful leader in decades, is sending Washington a strong message, which is that China has changed and old assumptions about global power and American dominance don't hold anymore. As a result of an assertive Beijing, Trump will have to decide whether to continue irritating Beijing by sailing aircraft carriers in waters China claims. Beijing's willingness or unwillingness to restrain North Korea's nuclear ambitions may provoke some sort of reaction from Washington.

Chinese President Xi Jinping. Getty Images

Trump has not wasted time in rattling Beijing's cage — that may hint at things to come. On the campaign trail Trump talked tough on China, accused it of "raping" the U.S. economy and threatened to slap huge tariffs on Chinese imports. If his future policy can be judged by his decision on personnel, China will be concerned that he has appointed Peter Navarro as head of the new trade body, the National Trade Council. Navarro is an outspoken critic of China in his books "The Coming China Wars" and "Death by China." In his first days as president-elect, Trump spoke to the leader of a nation China regards as nothing more than a renegade province — Taiwan. Trump's telephone conversation with Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen on Dec. 3 was followed by the comment that he didn't feel "bound by a one-China policy," which has ruled Washington-Beijing relations since President Richard Nixon's administration. China called the one-China policy the "political foundation" for relations between the two countries, and said tossing it out the window would render U.S.-China cooperation "out of the question." Then on Dec. 16, Chinese seized an underwater American drone in international waters claimed by Beijing. Trump lashed out at China before the device was returned a few days later. "China steals United States Navy research drone in international waters — rips it out of water and takes it to China in unprecedented act," he said via Twitter. Trump appears determined to end what he sees as America's kowtowing to China. Meanwhile, one policy decision that's already been announced — Obama's famous pivot to Asia — has fizzled. The U.S. is still enmeshed in Mideast conflicts and engaged in a new power play with Russia's Vladimir Putin. Another factor to watch will be the relationship between the two leaders — Trump and Xi. The two men could hardly be more different. Xi spent 25 years climbing slowly through the governing ranks. Trump came from outside the political system and has never held office. Xi rarely lets his guard down while Trump is unguarded. Their first meeting could be fascinating —Trump suggested before he was elected that he'd get Xi a McDonald's hamburger. Another big point of conflict will be China's seeming determination to rule the South China Sea — a body of water claimed by several countries.