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.
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.”
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.