US-China relations: prepare for ‘greater uncertainty’ in bilateral ties, observers say

Joe Biden is expected to continue his predecessor’s tough line on Beijing, and may look to strengthen Indo-Pacific strategy

Analyst suggests Beijing and Washington should draw lessons from the Cold War to manage tensions and avoid military conflict

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There are hopes for a return to “normalcy” in US foreign policy with Joe Biden in the White House. Photo: Reuters

Published: 7:00pm, 20 Jan 2021Updated: 12:36am, 21 Jan 2021

With Joe Biden’s inauguration as US president just hours away, Chinese observers say Beijing and the new administration in Washington must work together if they are to manage tensions and avoid a military conflict.

While there are hopes for a return to “normalcy” in US foreign policy and its global role, Biden is widely expected to continue with his predecessor Donald Trump’s tough line on China.

They may differ on most domestic policy issues and whether the US should lead the world, but Biden and Trump are not too far apart on China, according to Pang Zhongying, an international affairs expert at the Ocean University of China.

“In the face of the worst political turmoil in Washington in decades and the coronavirus crisis at home, the Biden administration may find it too difficult to find solutions to the many domestic problems,” Pang said.

Biden would instead look to score points by building on Trump’s China legacy and strengthening the Indo-Pacific strategy, he said.

“We are entering a period of greater uncertainty both for bilateral ties and for the US domestically,” he said. “It’s fair to say that the fate of US-China relations could be decided to a large extent by Biden’s ability to fix the domestic woes and bring a divided America together.”

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