From Trump’s Withdrawal to Rejoining the Paris Agreement... ‘Multilateralist’ Biden Moves to Restore Alliances

Prospects for Biden's Foreign Policy

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seulgina Cho] "I will rejoin within exactly 77 days."

Joe Biden, a Democratic candidate widely regarded as a diplomatic expert to the core, made his first official commitment immediately after gaining the upper hand in the U.S. presidential election vote count: rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement. This is a kind of declaration to rebuild the global multilateral cooperation system and restore alliances by rejoining multilateral treaties that President Donald Trump had withdrawn from one after another. The 77 days Biden mentioned corresponds to January 20 next year, the scheduled date of the presidential inauguration.

According to major foreign media on the 5th (local time), Biden, who has long served as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has emphasized multilateralism that strengthens relations with allied countries to increase U.S. influence. This characteristic is evident when looking at his major foreign policy pledges released earlier. Biden has expressed his intention to rejoin the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Paris Climate Agreement, from which President Trump signed withdrawal executive orders shortly after taking office in 2017. There is also a high possibility of returning to the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA), assuming Iran returns as well.

This move is expected to signal the reestablishment of alliances with major countries that had been strained over the past four years. A representative scene symbolizing Trump’s isolationism was the G7 summit held in Canada in June 2018. The photo showing German Chancellor Angela Merkel standing with a stern expression and hands on the table, French President Emmanuel Macron frowning, and other major leaders sitting with arms crossed facing President Trump, encapsulated the fractures within the G7 caused by the U.S.-initiated tariff wars.

The 2018 G7 Summit held in Canada
[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Unlike the Trump era, which suffered from discord to the extent that joint declarations were difficult to announce, major foreign media expect that alliances will be restored and inter-country frictions eased during the Biden era. The Washington Post (WP) reported, "The first thing Biden will do as president is call leaders of each country and say, 'America is back. Trust us.'"

Biden has long supported NATO, which President Trump publicly criticized. He is expected to adopt a strategy to improve relations with NATO member countries and curb Russia’s international influence. Restoration of relations with allies such as South Korea, Australia, and Japan, as well as promotion of multilateral trade agreements, are also anticipated. International cooperation to respond to COVID-19 is expected to be further strengthened. Tensions in the Middle East, often called a powder keg, are also expected to decrease. With Trump, who pursued overtly pro-Israel and anti-Iran policies, stepping down, a green light for restoring relations with Iran is likely to be turned on.

However, selective pressure is expected in relations with China. Biden has expressed negative views on the tariff bombs against China pushed by Trump but has also emphasized the need to correct unfair trade practices with China. This is why many predict that the trade war will continue even after the administration changes.

Major foreign media believe that Biden is likely to strengthen ties with allies such as South Korea, Japan, and Australia to pressure China through allied solidarity. They also expect him to take a tougher stance on issues such as the environment and human rights. While firmly responding to territorial disputes in the South China Sea and human rights and democracy suppression in Hong Kong, it is anticipated that he will broaden diplomatic efforts on issues requiring multilateral cooperation.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.