President Biden portrays US relations with China as a conflict of values: democracy versus autocracy.
But his rhetoric obscures the government’s more pragmatic approach of bringing together groups of countries to work together on technology. The goal is to stay ahead of China in semiconductors, artificial intelligence and other advances that should define the economy and the armed forces of the future.
Preliminary talks with US allies have begun, although the effort is expected to take months, senior government officials said.
The strategy has offensive and defensive components. By combining efforts, the United States and its allies can spend much more than China, whose research and development budget now almost matches that of the United States. Alliances can also coordinate policies to deny China the technologies it needs to try to become a global leader.
“We have a very strong interest in ensuring that techno-democracies come together more effectively, so that we are the ones who are forming these norms and rules,” said Secretary of State Antony Blinken at his confirmation hearing.