Editorial | Biden’s containment policy could backfire
- China and Russia are strengthening bilateral ties as the United States labels one nation a ‘serious competitor’ and the other an ‘opponent’
China and Russia do not have a formal alliance, their relationship peppered by historical obstacles. But United States President Joe Biden’s strategy of countering their power and influence through bolstering ties with allies is bound to draw both closer.
His reaching out to the leaders of Australia, India and Japan to strengthen an unofficial grouping known as the Quad, followed by the administration’s first overseas trips by senior cabinet members to Tokyo and Seoul this week, sends a clear message about a policy of containment. It is a misguided approach that is likely to deepen rivalries and heighten tensions.
Biden, in laying out his foreign policy objectives, called China a “serious competitor” and Russia an “opponent”. He has pledged to stand up to both and last month imposed fresh sanctions against Moscow over the poisoning and jailing of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Upcoming talks in Alaska between the top Chinese and American diplomats will not soften the hard line.
It is little wonder that China’s ambassador to Moscow, Zhang Hanhui, last week said Beijing was willing to maintain regular communications with Russia about their nations’ policies towards the US to safeguard strategic and development interests.
State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi earlier said both countries should jointly fight disinformation and safeguard respective sovereignty and political security. Russian President Vladimir Putin last year said he would not rule out a formal alliance, although the Chinese Ministry of Defence recently said Beijing had no such plans.
