Biden appears to be in tune with allies in China

Price said it was “no coincidence” that President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s initial interactions were with partners in Europe and the Indo-Pacific region, noting that “we see our alliances, our partnerships globally as once again this multiplying force in a wide range of challenges, and that includes our relationship with Beijing. “

Relations between Washington and Beijing during the previous Trump administration were often turbulent, with clashes over issues related to trade, technology, regional security and human rights.

Price described the US’s current relationship with Beijing as seen “through the lens of competition and positioning us to compete and, ultimately, overcome competition with the Chinese”.

“We know that China is engaged in a series of behaviors that harm American workers. It dulls our technological advantage. It threatens our alliances and influences international organizations,” Price said at a State Department press conference on Tuesday.

“And China has been involved in serious human rights violations that shock conscience. Therefore, we will fight China’s aggressive and coercive actions, maintain our main military advantages, defend democratic values, invest in advanced technologies and restore vital security partnerships. “, he said.

However, he noted that there are issues such as climate change “for which we share a national interest, in which it is in our interest to cooperate on a limited basis with China”.

“I think it goes without saying that we can walk and chew gum at the same time, so as not to be too colloquial,” said Price.

China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi previously suggested that Beijing would be open to restarting its relationship with the United States after the November elections, declaring that the two countries are in a “critical historical juncture” after a year of mounting tensions.

The Taiwan issue

The State Department spokesman also called on China “to cease its military, diplomatic and economic pressure against Taiwan and instead engage in meaningful dialogue with Taiwan’s democratically elected leadership.”

These three Pacific military conflict points can shape Biden's strategy in China
Beijing has stepped up military activity around Taiwan since Biden took office, sending combat aircraft, including H-6K bombers, to Taiwan’s air defense identification zone on several occasions, in what was seen as a direct message to the new US government that China will not give in to its claims of sovereignty over the island.

Price’s theme of working with allies was evident throughout the Biden government in his early weeks in office.

In words that Price echoed, new national security adviser Jake Sullivan said last week that Washington wanted to be “in tune with democratic allies and partners” in articulating America’s vision for the future of the world.

“We will defend a certain set of principles in the face of aggression and the types of measures that China has taken,” said Sullivan during a panel discussion at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington.

An important component of this in the Indo-Pacific will be “the Quad”, an informal security relationship between the United States, Japan, India and Australia, he said.

The group conducted joint military exercises last year, as well as reaffirmed the links between the four with bilateral defense agreements.

“I think we really want to go ahead and build on that format, that mechanism that we see as a fundamental foundation on which to build substantial American policy in the Indo-Pacific region,” said Sullivan.

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