Biden declares China as only competitor that US will excel

U.S. President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday (local time) that China will be the only U.S. competitor for the next decade, showing Washington’s determination to outstrip Beijing.

The National Security Strategy released on Wednesday by the White House defines China as the only U.S. top competitor, posing the most critical geopolitical challenge, which has a growing level of economic, diplomatic, military, and technological prowess that can help it reshape the world as it wishes. Even amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine with nuclear threats only mounting up, it pointed out China as the only nation that can compete against the U.S.-led international order.

The White House announced its plans to strengthen military policies to keep Chinese nuclear threats at bay while tightening regulations on China’s cutting-edge technologies. Regarding Taiwan-related issues, the riskiest time bomb in U.S-China relations, Washington stressed that it hopes Indo-Pacific allies cooperate with European nations to contribute stability and peace across Taiwan, aspiring to keep China in check based on such a wide range of alliances.

The National Security Strategy is the top strategy guidelines that lay the foundation for all diplomatic actions led by President Biden during his term. Daniel Fried, former senior director of the National Security Council of the White House, analyzed that the parts on China in the NSS are based on bipartisanism while borrowing Republicans’ language and ideas. He seemingly intended to say that even if the opposing Republican Party occupies the majority of the U.S. Congress in the Nov. 8 midterm election, President Biden’s bold action against China will only be accelerated.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to join China's 20th Communist Party Congress on the opening day on Sunday, where the party will highly likely confirm‎ his third term. His policy direction regarding the relations with Washington will be released during his speech. In the last meeting before the party congress meeting, the party made an effective official confirmation to approve President Xi’s third term and the concentration of power in his hands.

Suggesting that President Xi may stay in power until he dies, BBC commented that China under his leadership is going toward authoritarianism. According to Bloomberg, President Xi’s pledge to “stand tall” leads China to conflict with the United States. “The next five years look set to get more acrimonious between the globe’s top powers as economic and military tensions heat up across various fronts, including Taiwan,” it said. Chinese news outlet Guancha News expected China only to face severe conflict with the United States for the coming 10 to 20 years.


weappon@donga.com