China ‘under pressure’ like never before after Joe Biden unveils national security strategy, analysts say
- Release of US policy paper a carefully timed move ahead of key 20th party congress and expected third term for President Xi Jinping, observers note
- Biden’s China approach is finally taking shape and it is an intimidating and aggressive, Nanjing University professor says
Analysts believe Wednesday’s release of the policy paper was a carefully timed move, coming days ahead of a key Communist Party national congress in Beijing.
02:10
Beijing gears up for 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party
The Chinese foreign ministry reacted sharply to the document. “We oppose an outdated Cold War mentality and zero-sum games,” spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Thursday.
“We disapprove of playing up geopolitical conflicts and major power competition, which run counter to the trend of the times and to the world’s expectation.”
In what was his most comprehensive foreign policy statement, delivered nearly 20 months after he took office, Biden labelled China as “the only competitor with both the intent to reshape the international order and, increasingly, the economic, diplomatic, military, and technological power to advance that objective”.