China is claimed not to be the focus of American President
Joe Biden’s recently unveiled
Indo-Pacific strategy. But most aspects of the 12-page document lean in that direction, whether to counter rising influence, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) or links with the region. It is at odds with pledges by the administration that it does not want a cold war with Beijing and will do all it can to avoid conflict. Yet the approach laid out seems aimed at doing the opposite, attempting to contain, curtail and prevent through increased diplomatic presence, strengthening military deterrence and shoring up alliances.
The document says the goal is to strengthen Washington’s role in the region, address
climate change, prepare for another global pandemic and counter Chinese behaviour perceived by the administration as aggressive and coercive. It determines that “a free and open Indo-Pacific can only be achieved if we build collective capacity for a new age; common action is now a strategic necessity”. There are plans for more American embassies and consulates, a widening of the reach of the US Coast Guard, an expansion of the Peace Corps and launch of a regional economic framework. It is an attempt to reverse the damage done by Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump, whose isolationist policies intentionally lessened the US’ presence in Asia and the Pacific to “make America great again”.
That withdrawal, at the same time as Trump’s initiating a trade and technology war with Beijing, left a gap that China easily stepped into. The Trans-Pacific Partnership, the free-trade pact his administration deserted, has been replaced by the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, a more robust grouping that China is a central part of. His withdrawing the US from the Paris
climate change accord put China in a dominant position to shape global discourse. As the Covid-19 pandemic surged around the world, Beijing was the first nation to reach out and offer expertise, resources and vaccines.
Biden is attempting to claw back what was given up or lost. But nations, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, are now wary of the US and its fickle political ways. Chinese trade and investment have been rising and will be crucial for the post- pandemic economic recovery. Infrastructure projects under the BRI are driving much-needed growth and development.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, visiting Australia, Fiji and Hawaii to unveil and promote the strategy, made clear the need for his country and its allies to curtail China’s rise. But Beijing is regarded more as a friend than a foe to many governments, which appreciate its non-interference in domestic affairs and view it as crucial for development. The plan will be a burden, not a benefit, for the region.
