Joe Biden has warned that the US faces a “decisive decade” in its rivalry with China, as he unveiled a national security strategy that singled out Beijing as having the intent and capability to reshape the international order.
In the first such document of his presidency, Biden on Wednesday wrote that his administration was “clear-eyed about the scope and seriousness” of the challenge posed to the international order from China and Russia.
“China harbours the intention and, increasingly, the capacity to reshape the international order in favour of one that tilts the global playing field to its benefit,” Biden wrote in the 48-page text.
He added that Russia had “shattered peace in Europe” with the invasion of Ukraine and was endangering the global non-proliferation regime with its “reckless nuclear threats”.
In terms of competition with China, which the Pentagon calls the “pacing challenge” for the US, Biden said the next decade would be decisive.
“We stand now at the inflection point, where the choices we make and the priorities we pursue today will set us on a course that determines our competitive position long into the future,” the national security strategy laid out.
Biden’s strategy, which comes fives years since the US released its previous iteration, outlines his view of the strategic challenges facing the country and the crucial priorities for American national security officials.
It said the US’s goal is to have a “free, open, prosperous, and secure international order”. It would try achieve this by investing in US power and influence, building strong coalitions to “shape the global strategic environment”, and strengthening the military to ensure it was “equipped for the era of strategic competition with major powers” while also having the capability to counter terrors threats to the country.
The focus on China comes as relations between Washington and Beijing are mired in their worst state since the countries established diplomatic relations in 1979. The US is concerned about everything from the rapid modernisation of the Chinese military to its aggressive activity around Taiwan.
Two months ago China conducted large-scale military exercises, including firing missiles over Taiwan, in response to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei.
Beijing accuses Washington of interfering in its domestic affairs and creating anti-China coalitions with US allies. In recent days, Beijing has criticised Washington for introducing export controls designed to slow Chinese progress in artificial intelligence, super computers and advanced chips.
The national security strategy presented Beijing as posing the most serious challenge to the US, but also said Washington would take steps to make sure it was “outcompeting the People’s Republic of China in the technological, economic, political, military, intelligence and global governance domains”.
It also recognised that China was central to the global economy and was an important player in terms of efforts to deals with climate change and global public health issues. It said the two countries would still “coexist peacefully” despite the challenges.
Biden recently said the US would defend Taiwan if it came under attack from China, in his fourth such statement, which has reinforced concerns about a possible war breaking out in the Indo-Pacific region.
The release of the strategy comes days before President Xi Jinping is expected to secure a third term as China’s leader at the Communist party’s 20th congress. US and Chinese officials are also negotiating a possible first in-person meeting between Biden and Xi when they attend the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, next month.
The document had been expected earlier this year but was delayed because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Its publication paves the way for the Pentagon to release its “national defence strategy” and for the administration to release a highly anticipated “nuclear posture review”.
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