China’s steady growth, based on the reform and opening-up policy initiated by Deng Xiaoping in 1978, started yielding results in the 2000s. After the global economic crisis in 2008 [1] China’s economy surpassed Japan’s in 2010, making it the world’s second-largest economy.[2] Indeed, China is the largest economy in the world after the United States,[3] leading to significant global competition between Washington and Beijing. This situation implies that China’s global ambitions may clash with those of the US, as there is an ongoing struggle between the two actors with geopolitical, geostrategic, and geo-economic dimensions.
In this struggle, it is argued that the US’s most crucial strategy is to implement the containment policy, which it previously used against the Soviet Union during the Cold War, against China to gain an advantage. The US aims to execute this policy through regional alliances such as the QUAD, AUKUS Pact, and ANZUS Agreement. Despite these efforts, both Washington and Beijing strive to prevent this competition from turning into a hot conflict, as they have mutually interdependent economic relations.
The visit of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to China on June 18-19, 2023, holds great significance.[4] During the meetings, positive messages were conveyed, and both Blinken and Chinese President Xi Jinping, as well as Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, refrained from escalating the competition and instead delivered constructive messages.
However, on June 20, 2023, following Blinken’s visit with positive messages, US President Joe Biden used the term “dictator” to refer to the Chinese President.[5] During a fundraising event in Northern California on June 20, 2023, Biden drew attention to the “Spy Balloon” incident and made the following statements:[6]
“When the US shot down a Chinese spy balloon, Xi was deeply saddened. The reason was that Xi was unaware of the balloon’s presence. This was a significant embarrassment for a dictator.”
Subsequently, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning made the following comment regarding Biden’s statement:[7]
“These remarks are extremely absurd and irresponsible. Moreover, they are entirely inconsistent with the facts and seriously violate diplomatic protocol. Furthermore, these statements are damaging to China’s political dignity.”
In this context, although the meetings may have progressed positively and the actors may emphasize their intentions to avoid turning the competition into a hot conflict, it can be predicted that tensions will not decrease in the short term.
Furthermore, Biden’s use of the term “dictator” may indicate a divergence within the US foreign policy-making process between the Secretary of State and the President. This could potentially strengthen China’s position in the long run, as the mentioned divergence may become more pronounced over time.
One of the reasons for this divergence can be attributed to the differences in objectives between the parties, especially considering the approaching US Presidential Elections. Consequently, it can be argued that Biden is attempting to consolidate public support through framing an “other” in the context of these elections and prioritizing domestic politics. Indeed, during the election process, Biden could employ the competition with China to create a perception of “threat.”
The Foreign Minister, on the other hand, might be inclined to pursue a rational approach of softening relations with Beijing, considering the multitude of global issues at hand and the economic stance.
As the divergence becomes more pronounced with the approach of the elections, it could potentially place Beijing in a more advantageous position in global competition. Consequently, Washington might be perceived as an unsteady actor in the eyes of both its global allies and alliances in the Asia-Pacific region.
In conclusion, it is evident that the competition between the US and China will persist. However, as the US Presidential Elections draw nearer, differences in the adopted policies towards China between Biden and Blinken may come to the forefront.
[1] “As Pac West Shares Dive, Are We Seeing The 2008 Financial Crisis All Over Again?”, Cable News Network World, https://edition.cnn.com/2023/06/18/china/blinken-china-visit-wang-yi-meeting-intl-hnk/index.html, (Date of Accession: 22.06.2023).
[2] “China Passes Japan as Second-Largest Economy”, The New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/16/business/global/16y, (Erişim Tarihi: 22.06.2023).
[3] “The World’s Largest Economies”, World Data Info, https://www.worlddata.info/largest-economies.php, (Date of Accession: 22.06.2023).
[4] “Why is US Secretary of State Antony Blinken Going to China?”, Al Jazeera, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/6/16/why-is-us-secretary-of-state-antony-blinken-going-to-china, (Date of Accession: 22.06.2023).
[5] “Biden Likens Chinese President Xi Jinping to a Dictator”, Al Jazeera, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/6/21/biden-likens-chinese-president-xi-to-dictators, (Date of Accession: 22.06.2023).
[6] “Biden Likens China’s Xi to a Dictator; Beijing Slams Remark as ‘Absurd, İrresponsible’, France 24, https://www.france24.com/en/americas/20230621-biden-calls-china-s-xi-a-dictator-a-day-after-blinken-s-talks-in-beijing, (Date of Accession: 22.06.2023).
[7] “Fierce Backlash in Beijing to Biden Likening Xi to a Dictator Comes as He Hopes For a Thaw”, Cable News Network Politics, https://edition.cnn.com/2023/06/21/politics/biden-xi-china-dictators-fundraiser/index.html, (Date of Accession: 22.06.2023).
