Relations between the United States and China are at a low point in the post-Trump era, and almost three weeks after his tenure President Biden
Joe BidenDOJ dismisses lawsuit against author of Melania Trump’s general ledger Google expands election security aid for federal and state campaigns Biden supports House Democrats’ proposed threshold for COVID-19 controls MORE he has not yet spoken with his Beijing counterpart, President Xi Jinping.
Biden has promised to take a different approach from China to the old one President Trump
Donald TrumpDOJ to demand the resignation of the majority of U.S. lawyers appointed by Trump: denounce Trump’s lawyer withdrawing request not to hold Kinzinger’s dismissal trial on Saturday in calls for GOP gentlemen to convict Trump of dismissal, who campaigned against China’s trade policies and then blamed Beijing for the coronavirus that devastated the U.S. economy in the year of Trump’s re-election.
“I won’t do it the way Trump did,” Biden said of his approach to Beijing in an interview with CBS on Sunday. “We will focus on international road rules.”
Biden faces strong pressure to take a hard line against Beijing, as Republicans are already telegraphing that it will be a problem in mid-2022, and probably in the 2024 presidential election.
But the president has also said he is willing to cooperate with Beijing when it is in the US interest
This includes efforts to defeat COVID-19, tackle climate change, expand nuclear non-proliferation – in particular, return Iran to comply with the 2015 nuclear deal and curb North Korea’s nuclear threat – and, more recently, , restoring democracy in Myanmar after the military coup.
Tensions between the two countries are high in the post-Trump era, in part because of the ex-president’s rhetoric, which he repeatedly called COVID-19 the “China virus,” referring to the fact that the first cases were identified in the Chinese city of Wuhan. – But also because lawmakers on both sides criticize Beijing for a number of policies that affect the economy and national security.
Tensions spread more recently in the South China Sea after Beijing denounced joint exercises by two groups of U.S. carriers, who called a U.S. attempt to “flex muscles” in the region damaging “peace and security.” stability “.
The comments followed Beijing’s previous frustration with the United States when a U.S. warship sailed near China-controlled islands in the waters, where several regional countries have claimed.
The U.S. Seventh Fleet said the move was a “freedom of navigation operation,” but the Chinese military accused the U.S. of violating China’s sovereignty and security.
However, Chinese officials have also repeatedly called for “no confrontation, no conflict, mutual respect and winning cooperation” with the United States.
Bonnie Glaser, director of the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said Biden was critical in his foreign policy speech last week against Chinese policies, where he said U.S. leadership must to confront “China’s ambitions to rival the United States.” – but that the president and his team have not been in a hurry to commit to Beijing.
“They have other priorities, including coordination with allies and partners,” he wrote in an email to The Hill.
“Meanwhile, the Chinese are sending the message that they are willing to improve bilateral ties, but only if they do so in Chinese terms. There has not yet been a serious conversation between the two countries on how to manage their differences or how to cooperate on issues in what they may have in common. “
Biden said in his interview on CBS Sunday that there was no reason not to “call Xi” and that the two have “a lot to talk about.”
The president said he does not seek conflict between the two nations, but warned that “there will be extreme competition.”
secretary of state Anthony Blink
Antony Blinken: Colombia will register thousands of immigrants from Venezuela with the aim of giving them legal residence. Hill’s Report 12:30: Senate Prepares Dismissal Trial to Initiate Biden Administration Announces Plans to Re-Join UN Human Rights Council MORE So far he is the highest-ranking US official to speak to the Chinese, in a call last week with senior Chinese Communist Party official and diplomat Yang Jiechi.
The conversation focused largely on conflicting aspects of the relationship, with the secretary raising the issue of human rights abuses in Tibet, Hong Kong and Xinjiang. On the latter issue, the secretary has sided with the Trump administration for its determination that China is carrying out genocide against Muslim Uighurs and other ethnic groups.
Blinken also pressured China to condemn the military coup in Myanmar.
So far, Beijing has refrained from calling for military takeover of a coup, although it has joined a UN Security Council statement calling for the restoration of democratic government in the country and the United Nations. ‘release of detained and democratically elected government officials.
Both Blinken and national security adviser Jake Sullivan
Jake Sullivan: Night Defense: Biden Announces End of US Support for Offensive Operations in Yemen | The Pentagon calls for a mask to be worn inside and out Military deaths by COVID rise Biden: US takes “urgent” measures to improve cybersecurity. Biden condemns Navalny prison in Russia MORE, who has not spoken to any Chinese officials, has held calls with allies in Europe and Asia to address China’s threats.
Sullivan had previously said it was a priority to get on the same page with allies about the deal with Beijing, during an event with the U.S. Peace Institute last month.
“I think China is at the top of the list of things we need to work on together and where there is work to be done to fully align ourselves,” he said.
Sullivan also said the United States must be prepared to impose costs on Beijing for its human rights abuses, but did not delve into such measures.
Still, Republicans are laying the groundwork to push Biden harder to make it difficult with Beijing. They are particularly critical of China’s influence on the World Health Organization.
Biden rejoined the world body on his first day in office, reversing Trump’s withdrawal from the organization in July for criticism he did not face Beijing over the spread of COVID-19.
Meaning. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) I Josh Hawley
Joshua (Josh) David Hawley Night Defense: Pentagon Says Extremist Groups “Recruit Troops Very Aggressively” | Deployment of the estimated 3M Capitol Guard No deaths in combat in the United States in Afghanistan for a year The VA secretary confirms that the Senate confirms that Denis McDonough will lead VA under Biden. Biden’s prisoner’s dilemma. (R-Mo.) He seized on those criticisms on Tuesday, introducing legislation aimed at withholding U.S. U.S. funds. His statement came after the release of a WHO investigation that was criticized for not addressing Beijing’s role in spreading the virus.
“WHO’s mission is to bring public health information to the world so that all countries can make the best decisions to keep their citizens safe,” Scott said in a statement. “The WHO not only failed in its mission, but also in the world when it comes to coronavirus. They served as a puppet for the Chinese Communist Party: they squandered misinformation and helped Communist China cover up a global pandemic. “
The introduction of the bill coincided with the release of the WHO from the preliminary findings of an investigation into the origins of COVID-19 in China, which found that the disease was “more likely” to have originated in animals before. of jumping to humans, although he did not assess response deficiencies.
Hawley, who is considered a potential candidate for the 2024 presidency, criticized the WHO for prioritizing “the interests of the Chinese Communist Party over building a healthier world.”
His. Tom Cotton
Tom Bryant Cotton Night Defense: Pentagon Says Extremist Groups “Recruit Troops Very Aggressively” | Deployment of the estimated 3M Capitol Guard No deaths in combat in the United States in Afghanistan for a year The VA secretary confirms that the Senate confirms that Denis McDonough will lead VA under Biden. Biden’s prisoner’s dilemma. (R-Ark.), Also a potential presidential candidate, tweeted in response to the investigation that “[for] more than a year ago the apologists of the Chinese Communist Party [the WHO] I tried to turn the origins of the coronavirus around. “
Former US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley
The Nikki HaleyBiden administration announces plans to rejoin the UN Human Rights Council. The United States will rejoin the UN Human Rights Council., another possible Republican presidential candidate, also criticized the WHO investigation, tweeting that it should have focused on “when China found out” about the coronavirus “and why they kept it from the rest of the world … “
His. Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Olin GrahamDOJ will call for the resignation of most U.S. lawyers appointed by Trump: lawmakers accuse Trump of rioting while second indictment appears Sunday: Trump’s indictment trial, stimulus dominates MORE (RS.C.), in an interview with CBS’s Meet the Press on Sunday, warned that Biden would wholesale launch Trump’s foreign policies, including those related to China.
“I would slow down if it were President Biden and re-evaluate some of those Trump policies and keep them in place if they make sense,” he said.