Biden Vows Iron Hand Vs. China's Abuses In 1st Foreign Policy Speech

President Joe Biden has formalized his administration's tough stand against China's abuses, saying he'll call out economic and human rights violations by America’s “most serious competitor" in his first major policy speech since ascending the presidency on January 20.

Biden on Thursday declared "America is back" as leader of the free world. He also proclaimed "diplomacy is back at the center" of U.S. foreign policy.

Biden pledged to restore U.S. alliances and lead with multilateral diplomacy to meet international crises while reversing ex-President Donald Trump's jingoistic "America First" foreign policy. Abuses by Russia and China are at the top of his list.

“We will confront China’s economic abuses,” said Biden, who described China as America’s “most serious competitor.”

He said the U.S. will resist China's "economic abuses, counter its aggressive, coercive action to push back on China's attack on human rights, intellectual property, and global governance."

His administration's relationship with Beijing won't only be confrontational, however. He said the U.S, will also be ready “to work with Beijing when it’s in America’s interest to do so. We’ll compete from a position of strength by building back better at home and working with our allies and partners.”

Biden reminded everyone he's spent more time with China’s President Xi Jinping than any other world leader over the past two decades in a hint he's laid the groundwork for working with the Chinese leader.

True to earlier statements, Biden again promised to work more closely with U.S. allies in Asia and Europe to oppose China and Russia.

“Over the past two weeks, I’ve spoken with the leaders of many of our closest friends–Canada, Mexico, the UK, Germany, France, NATO, Japan, South Korea, and Australia–to begin re-forming the habits of cooperation and rebuilding the muscles of democratic alliances that have atrophied from four years of neglect and abuse,” said Biden.

President Joe Biden gestures

His message is similar to those made the other day by the Department of State and the Department of Defense. The U.S. is  more concerned about talking to U.S. allies first, said White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki and State Department spokesman Ned Price speaking at separate press events.

"So, as a first step we want to make sure that we are in lockstep with those allies, in lockstep with those partners, and then ... you can expect that there will be engagement in several areas with China," said Price.

He said it's "no coincidence" Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken's initial interactions were with America's allies in Europe and the Indo-Pacific region. He described U.S. alliances and partnerships as a "force multiplier" that advance U.S. national interests.

Price described America’s relationship with China as one viewed "through the lens of competition and positioning ourselves to compete and ultimately to out-compete with the Chinese."

"We know that China is engaged in a range of conduct that … threatens our alliances and influence international organizations."

"And China has engaged in gross human rights violations that shock the conscience. So we will counter China's aggressive and coercive actions, sustain our key military advantages, defend democratic values, invest in advanced technologies and restore are vital security partnerships," he said. (4 Feb. 2021)

Biden Reaffirms Japan's Ownership of Senkaku Islands

President Joe Biden has reaffirmed the United States' iron clad commitment to the security of Japan, telling Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide in their first call his country will help protect Japan's Senkaku Islands against China.

Biden and Suga spoke specifically about Japan's barren Senkaku Islands being claimed by China. The string of uninhabited islets in the East China Sea is located west of Okinawa Island, east of mainland China and northeast of Taiwan.

China bolstered its claim to the Senkakus after the discovery of potential undersea oil reserves close to the islands in 1968. Japan administers the Senkakus from Okinawa.

Biden previously confirmed his commitment to the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security Between the United States and Japan signed in 1951 that established a military alliance between both countries. The treaty, which was amended in 1960, affirms the Senkakus as part of Japan.

"I would like to deepen my personal relationship with President Biden and work to strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance," said Suga to Japanese media after the 30-minute conversation.

President Joe Biden

The White House later said Biden and Suga talked about Washington's "unwavering commitment to the defense of Japan under Article 5 of our security treaty." It said Biden reaffirmed "his commitment to provide extended deterrence to Japan," which "includes the Senkaku Islands."

Suga and Biden agreed to work with Australia and India, fellow members of the Quadrilateral Alliance (or"Quad") of democracies collectively standing against Chinese territorial expansionism across the Indo-Pacific region.

For his part, Suga expressed Japan's serious concerns about a new Chinese law revealed over the weekend authorizing the China Coast Guard to fire on foreign ships in the South China Sea and the East China Sea.

China's Coast Guard Law explicitly allows the China Coast Guard to fire on foreign vessels -- including military vessels -- in a dangerous move that makes the prospect of an armed conflict with the United States and Japan more likely.

The law empowers the China Coast Guard to “take all necessary measures, including the use of weapons when national sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction are being illegally infringed upon by foreign organizations or individuals at sea."

The law also allows coast guard personnel to demolish other countries’ structures built on Chinese-claimed reefs and to board and inspect foreign vessels in waters claimed by China.

On Sunday, new U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told Japanese Minister of Defense Nobuo Kishi in their first talk the Senkakus fall under the scope of the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security.

Austin “affirmed that the Senkakus are covered by Article V of the treaty.” The Pentagon later said the U.S. "remains opposed to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East China Sea." (Jan. 28, 2021)