For the administration of US President Joe Biden, an ambiguous situation has developed, particularly in light of the upcoming election campaign. Beijing and CCP leader Xi Jinping are also under pressure due to the unstable economic and political situation at home and around the world. But it is still China that poses three tasks to Biden and America. The presidential ambitions of the head of the White House will depend on it. South China Morning Post columnist James David Spellman describes them.
First, Xi Jinping’s aggressive diversionary stance reinforces Washington’s mistrust of Beijing’s motives, particularly its “unlimited” friendship with Russia, which was reaffirmed in a recent meeting between senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Frequent incidents between Chinese jet fighters and American reconnaissance planes flying over the South China Sea have heightened tensions between the United States and China. There is no easy solution to this problem, especially when trying to defuse the problem in a non-military way.
Second, China’s powerful economic policy is seen as a threat to US national security interests. The reliable development and production of digital technologies is as important as building firepower for troops. In realpolitik, reliance on one country for key components is risky. This is where most of the US government’s imbalance activity takes place, as it is a relatively easy area to diversify. But even here, little has been done by the current White House chief.
Third, the geostrategic conflicts that have long plagued US-China relations continue to be flashpoints. These include Taiwan’s status quo, the territorial dispute with Japan over the Diaoyu Islands, which Japan calls Senkaku, and China’s human rights abuses, among others.
These three problems testify to the interdependence of the two superpowers. Analysts on both sides are inevitably mired in misunderstandings and miscalculations. If Biden, as promised, is going to run for office in 2024, then, among other things, he will need to address the issues outlined above, and as a priority.
In some respects, one can speak of the fateful nature of such issues as the conflict in Ukraine (that is, relations with Russia) and relations with China for the presidential campaign. Without successfully overcoming the main foreign policy dilemma, even if the (also intractable) domestic problems are resolved, Biden is doomed.
Photos used: twitter.com/POTUS
