• About Us
  • Careers
  • Brand Partnerships
TFI Official Merchandise
TFI English
TFI हिन्दी
Monday, January 30, 2023
TFIGlobal
TFIGlobal
Right Arm. Round the World. FAST.
No Result
View All Result
  • Premium
  • Indo-Pacific
  • Americas
  • Canada
  • Indian Subcontinent
  • West Asia
  • Europe
  • Africa
  • The Caribbean
  • Premium
  • Indo-Pacific
  • Americas
  • Canada
  • Indian Subcontinent
  • West Asia
  • Europe
  • Africa
  • The Caribbean
TFIGlobal
TFIGlobal
No Result
View All Result

Biden changes USA’s Indo-Pacific policy from “Open and Free” to “Secure and Prosperous” giving China a lot of legroom

Sohil Sinha by Sohil Sinha
February 3, 2021
in Indo-Pacific
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Biden, China, Indo-Pacific

(Image Source: WSJ)

232
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The Biden administration is up to the brim with people with a soft spot for China. The top man himself – President Joe Biden is not very keen on pressing China on issues such as Taiwan, national security or even Xinjiang. Thus, his decision to change the US concept of the Indo-Pacific comes as little surprise as he looks to engage with China for Biden’s vision of a ‘secure and prosperous’ Indo-Pacific.

Before the elections, Biden had taken a very conservative approach when specifying the Indo-pacific region. Trump had used the term “Free and open Indo Pacific” to band US allies together for the containment of China. After the election, almost true to his words, Joe Biden has changed it to “secure and prosperous Indo Pacific”. The change is a signal to all the Indo-pacific states that Washington has a desire to engage Beijing for a peaceful and thriving Asia Pacific.

Also Read

Lavrov’s presence in Eritrea is very unsettling for…..

How Haiti become a slave economy because of Citibank

Biden’s NSA Jake Sullivan had described China as a peer competitor, and an essential US partner. They believe that China is a ‘peer competitor’ with a more formidable economy, more sophisticated diplomacy and more flexible ideology than the Soviet Union ever was.

The term “secure and prosperous” is very different from the “free and open” rhetoric. While “secure and prosperous” offers a more conservative approach, in reality, it offers more space for China to work in. A secure Indo-Pacific would mean a structure including the states which ply their trade in the region inclusive of China.

Beijing has always rejected the use of “Indo-Pacific” and Biden’s decision to make it a closed and secure space will make it even weaker. The terms “secure and prosperous” do not offer a free and open structure but rather a shackled region with closed boundaries and limited participation. 

The use of the term ‘secure’ will also make the other nation-states in the region more apprehensive about using the term ‘Indo-Pacific’. A free and open Indo-Pacific sounds more inclusive, accessible and offers more manoeuvring than a secure Indo-Pacific as it will be exclusive and hostile to other states offering a different approach than the major powers in the region, like China.

There is a real threat to the change in the concept of the Indo-Pacific. Biden does not see China as a threat. Since his first day in office, he has made wholesale changes to the US policy on China. This can be reflected by removing the China threat page from the State department’s website.

Jake Sullivan and his pick for the Indo-Pacific affairs Kurt Campbell published an article titled ‘Competition without Catastrophe’ in September/October 2019 of the Foreign Affairs magazine. They outlined that the United States should establish favourable terms with China.

They underlined peaceful co-existence in four key competitive domains – military, economic, political and global governance – which “offers best chance to protect U.S. interests and prevent inevitable tension from turning into outright confrontation,” especially in the Indo-Pacific.

Jake Sullivan had also offered the same approach to Trump in 2018. At the time he had argued that war with China was not ‘inevitable’. He had then said, “U.S. has to lead in crafting the institutions, alliances, partnerships and rules that can make the Asia-Pacific region more secure, more prosperous and more stable.”

He also asserted that shared interests, particularly in the economic realm could become the basis of co-operation between the two superpowers. 

By saying that war is not inevitable, Sullivan very easily sidestepped through one of the Basic Tenet of the Realist theory in International Relations i.e., ‘War is Inevitable’, especially between two states with different systems of governance. 

Since Biden’s election, China has struck a reconciliatory tone and has called for greater co-operation between Washington and Beijing. The possibility of a China-U.S. dialogue as revealed by World Economic Forum President Borge Brende could perk up hopes to put aside differences.

Avoiding confrontation will lead to a much lesser role for the US in the Indo-Pacific. Allowing China in a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific will lead to a rise of a hegemonic China within the confines of Biden’s “secure and prosperous” region. 

Tags: BidenChinaIndo-PacificShort takes
ShareTweetSend
Previous Post

Trump made UAE a strong ally of the USA. And Biden has started dismantling US-UAE friendship with his aluminium import move

Next Post

Indian PM Modi appoints a Nationalist Technocrat to crack down upon the monopoly of the Big Tech

Also Read

Is South-East Asia ready for the Chinese collapse?

Is South-East Asia ready for the Chinese collapse?

January 25, 2023
Finally! Jacinda Ardern has done something good for Kiwis

Finally! Jacinda Ardern has done something good for Kiwis

January 19, 2023
Ethiopia China imports

Post War Ethiopia should ensure its economic interest are not trampled upon

January 17, 2023
China Russia Allies,

China and Russia are anything but all-weather allies

January 16, 2023
Load More

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I agree to the Terms of use and Privacy Policy.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Did Ukraine use innocent civilians as human shield against Russia in the name of evacuation?

Did Ukraine use innocent civilians as human shield against Russia in the name of evacuation?

May 9, 2022
Saudi Arabia Caribbean

Saudi Arabia expands its Caribbean foothold with an $80m gift

January 22, 2023
Cuba Ally

Cuba in Ukraine war is impossible! USA has gone bonkers in its desperation

January 24, 2023
World Economic Forum

“Sex, sleaze, and drugs” is what WEF is all about

January 18, 2023
Orwellian “Ministry of Truth” becomes a reality in Biden’s America

Orwellian “Ministry of Truth” becomes a reality in Biden’s America

April 28, 2022
Jamaica: The Best Hotspot for Pure Tropical Fun

Jamaica: The Best Hotspot for Pure Tropical Fun

January 29, 2023
All 13 Premiers of Canada give Trudeau a wakeup call

All 13 Premiers of Canada give Trudeau a wakeup call

January 29, 2023
Canada and Denmark threatened by Russia’s new move

Canada and Denmark threatened by Russia’s new move

January 29, 2023
Finland could now throw out Western Companies, so it decides to tax them instead

Finland could now throw out Western Companies, so it decides to tax them instead

January 29, 2023
Trudeau’s data manipulation skills leave Cuomo in the dust

Trudeau’s data manipulation skills leave Cuomo in the dust

January 29, 2023
Youtube Twitter Facebook
TFIGlobal
  • About us
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of use
  • Privacy Policy

©2023 - TFI MEDIA PRIVATE LIMITED

No Result
View All Result
  • Premium
  • Indo-Pacific
  • Americas
  • Canada
  • Indian Subcontinent
  • West Asia
  • Europe
  • Africa
  • The Caribbean

©2023 - TFI MEDIA PRIVATE LIMITED

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

Follow us on Twitter

and never miss an insightful take by the TFIGlobal team

Follow @tfiglobal
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. View our Privacy and Cookie Policy.