Bonus - US-China Relations Under Biden and Going Forward (Preview)
Dec 22, 2024
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Jake Werner, acting director of the East Asia Program at the Quincy Institute and a US-China relations expert, shares insights on the current tensions between the US and China. He discusses Biden's complex strategy of both collaboration and aggression towards China, contrasting it with Trump's legacy. The conversation also highlights the shifting dynamics of regional alliances and the challenges posed by trade upheaval, domestic manufacturing shortages, and climate change. Werner provides a thought-provoking overview of US hegemony in a changing global landscape.
The Biden administration's contradictory approach towards China seeks to blend collaboration with aggressive policies, increasing tensions instead of resolving them.
The U.S. aims to maintain global dominance through strengthened alliances in the Asia-Pacific, inadvertently escalating China's perceived threat and instability.
Deep dives
Biden's Contradictory Approach to China
Biden's administration has adopted a contradictory stance towards China, striving to manage conflict while simultaneously exacerbating the structural tensions that lead to it. On one hand, efforts to renew diplomacy, such as the recent renewal of a science and technology agreement, aim to foster collaboration between the two nations, ultimately benefiting both. However, this approach contrasts sharply with the aggressive semiconductor blockade enforced by the administration, building on Trump's confrontational policies. The combination of renewed diplomatic talks alongside increasing restrictions on critical technologies reflects a troubling inconsistency that could exacerbate tensions rather than mitigate them.
Strategic Goals for U.S. Hegemony
The overarching goal of the Biden administration appears to be maintaining the United States’ status as the dominant global power, particularly in its rivalry with China. This vision aligns military and economic strategies to ensure that the U.S. remains at the forefront of advanced technology and influential alliances in the Asia-Pacific region. By strengthening traditional alliances with nations such as Japan and South Korea, as well as revitalizing relations with the Philippines, the U.S. aims to create a united front against China's influence. However, while these alliances were designed to consolidate American power, they have simultaneously heightened China's perception of threat, creating a more destabilized environment in international relations.
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Navigating U.S.-China Relations: Biden's Diplomatic Dilemmas and Trump's Legacy
Jake Werner, acting director of the East Asia Program at the Quincy Institute, is back on the program, this time to talk about the current state of US-China relations and where they might be heading under Trump 2.0. They talk about the Biden administration's bimodal approach of collaborating with China while trying to threaten it, the regional alliance structure, how Trump appears to be positioning himself toward China in his new administration, how the US might navigate trade upheaval given the lack of domestic manufacturing, consumption and climate change, and more.