The Biden Administration’s Indo-Pacific Strategy and China-U.S. Strategic Competition

Abstract

The Biden administration has yet to announce its Indo-Pacific strategy, but the overall framework seems all clear: it views China as the main challenger, if not a direct threat, to its political, economic, and military influence in the region, and vows to take diplomatic, economic, and military actions to counterbalance China’s growing influence, preferably with its allies and partners. The Biden administration has taken a series of steps to unite its Asian and even European allies and partners, offered economic alternatives to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), revamped regional institutional architectures, and tried to shape the regional order to its advantage. As a result, China-U.S. relations have deteriorated further on Biden’s watch and is moving in the direction of confrontation.