Biden Is Fighting the Wrong Battle Against China
Casting the rivalry as a struggle between democracy and autocracy risks undermining all the good that the administration’s actual policies are doing.
An open-ended rivalry.
Photographer: Nicolas Asfouri/AFP/Getty Images
Typically, the most effective foreign policy pairs smart tactical substance to an overarching strategic theme. Framing a foreign policy correctly can sustain domestic political support, attract allies and provide the intellectual guidance for action. Conversely, flawed framing can undercut any good that specific policies may otherwise be doing. When it comes to China, US President Joe Biden’s administration risks falling into the latter trap.
In most respects, the White House’s China policy is delivering excellent outcomes. Unlike his Republican predecessor, former President Donald Trump, Biden has assiduously cultivated friends and allies in the Indo-Pacific and Europe. The United States is well on its way to building a broad-based coalition that could help sustain an open-ended rivalry with China.