Biden to Gather Democracy Leaders to Counter China and Russia (Comprehensive)

Photo by AP News

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] U.S. President Joe Biden is hosting the first-ever 'Summit for Democracy' by inviting leaders of global allied countries to counter China and Russia.

The White House announced on the 11th (local time) that the Summit for Democracy will be held virtually on December 9-10 this year.

Attended by heads of democratic countries worldwide, civil society organizations, and private sector representatives, the summit will focus on key themes such as defending against authoritarianism, eradicating corruption, and protecting human rights.

The White House stated, "This summit will acknowledge the weaknesses and imperfections of democracy and serve as a platform to demonstrate the 'ability to form a more perfect union' in facing the challenges democracy encounters."

This summit is an implementation of President Biden's campaign pledge to unite democratic countries worldwide to strengthen democracy, proceeding in tandem with efforts to reinforce democratic systems and counter China.

According to the Associated Press, a major task since Biden’s inauguration has been resolving the competition between China and Russia, which he has identified as authoritarian states, and democratic countries.

In a recent speech on the COVID-19 pandemic response, President Biden emphasized, "We must prove that democracy can win the race against autocracy."

The Washington Post (WP) analyzed, "Regardless of who is invited to the summit, it is highly likely that the meeting will be structured as an effort to unite democratic governments against attempts by China to expand its economic, political, and military influence."

Since taking office, President Biden has criticized China and Russia over human rights abuses, suppression of freedoms, and cyberattacks, imposing a series of sanctions and maintaining a tense standoff.

After a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in June, Biden said, "Even in a slow and complex process of compromise, I want to prove that democracy can deliver better outcomes for people than autocracy."

The White House did not specify the participants for this summit. An anonymous government official said the goal is to invite both established and emerging democracies, adding, "This is not about defining who is or isn’t a democracy. What we seek is the willingness and ability to make meaningful commitments to strengthen democracy and rights."

Regarding this, WP reported that although Russian President Vladimir Putin claims democratic legitimacy, it is uncertain whether he will be invited. It is also unclear whether leaders who have undermined democratic values, such as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orb?n, will be included.

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