The View | US-China relations: why Joe Biden should go back to basics

It wasn’t just the weather that was cold when senior US and Chinese officials convened recently in Anchorage, Alaska, to try to reset their countries’ relations after four years of mounting tension. Sadly, the meeting was more reminiscent of the Cold War era than of a fresh start. That needs to change quickly – before it is too late.

Trapped in the politics of America’s bipartisan groundswell of anti-China sentiment, US President Joe Biden’s team appears to be staying the course set by the previous administration, even upping the ante on the trade and technology conflict by raising human rights and geopolitical concerns, which Biden’s predecessor ignored.

And China, trapped in a mindset born of a “century of humiliation”, compounded the problem with its assertive and defensive response. In full view of the media, the opening exchange was laced with charges and counter charges, with no discernible path for de-escalation.

This is where the Biden administration needs to rethink its combative approach. On economics and trade, it has been boxed in by the “phase one” trade deal negotiated by the “former guys”, as Biden refers to the previous administration. And that is where there is greatest leverage for change.

Yes, the American public favours the phase one approach. The latest Pew Research Centre survey, conducted in February, shows widespread support for a continuation of tariffs, with more people interested in getting tougher on trade with China than in building stronger ties.