US Media: "Biden Emphasized Alliances with China... Different from Trump"

Maintaining a Hardline Stance but Also Emphasizing Cooperation and Alliances
Differentiating from the Hardline-Only Trump Administration

U.S. President Joe Biden, accompanied by Vice President Kamala Harris, visited the Department of Defense in Washington DC on the 10th (local time) for the first time since his inauguration, entering the building guided by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Minwoo Lee] U.S. media outlets have focused on the fact that President Joe Biden emphasized alliance and cooperation between the two countries during his first phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping. This is seen as a departure from the pressure-only approach of the previous Donald Trump administration.

On the 10th (local time), The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) highlighted that this call took place only after President Biden had spoken with several allies in Europe and Asia. It is analyzed as a signal that Biden intends to approach China as a leader of democratic countries worldwide. The Washington Post (WP) also noted, "President Biden emphasized his commitment to allies and human rights during his first call with President Xi."

Earlier, President Biden had his first phone call with President Xi just 21 days after his inauguration. The call came right after Biden visited the Pentagon to announce plans for establishing a China-focused defense strategy and declared sanctions against Myanmar’s military coup forces, which are suspected of close ties with China. While maintaining a tough stance on China, Biden reaffirmed a position of selective cooperation. He continued to pressure China on trade and human rights issues while emphasizing alliances. The White House stated in a press release that "President Biden pledged to pursue a practical and results-oriented relationship with China when it advances the interests of the American people and U.S. allies."

WP, citing a pre-call media briefing, explained, "Cooperation with allies such as South Korea and Japan is a key difference between Trump and Biden," adding, "President Biden emphasized that he will refocus on the security of traditional allies, which former President Trump had challenged."

WSJ also diagnosed, "President Biden’s focus on alliances rejects former President Trump’s policies that clashed with allies over trade and security while confronting China."

However, despite differentiating from the Trump administration, a tough stance on China is expected to be maintained.

The New York Times (NYT) explained, "Government officials say President Biden will continue some of the Trump administration’s China policies," including "challenging China’s territorial claims in Asia, supporting Taiwan’s independence and Hong Kong’s autonomy, and cracking down on Chinese cyber theft and hacking."

The White House also reported that the two leaders exchanged views on common challenges such as COVID-19 response, global health security, climate change, and non-proliferation of weapons. While non-proliferation appears related to North Korea issues, the White House did not explicitly mention North Korea. On the other hand, China’s side excluded non-proliferation from its announcement of the call. The Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP) pointed out that "President Biden mentioned cooperation on non-proliferation, which seems aimed at seeking China’s cooperation on controlling North Korea’s nuclear weapons program, but this part was omitted in China’s announcement."

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