Joe Biden rallies his allies to take a tougher stance on China

Joe Biden will use this week’s G7 summit to encourage allies to join Washington in taking a a tougher stance towards Beijing, as the US president ended a series of new actions with an executive order to increase scrutiny of Chinese software and applications.

The intensity of the pressure sets the stage for the summit hosted in the United Kingdom, when Biden hopes to persuade his counterparts to rebuke China for its persecution of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, its crackdown on the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong Kong, its economic coercion in countries. such as Australia, and its aggressive military activity in the South and East Seas of China.

While embarking on Air Force One on Wednesday for his first trip abroad as president of the United States, Biden said he would use his week in Europe to strengthen alliances and “make it clear that [Russia’s Vladimir] Putin and China that Europe and the United States are tight. “

The executive order, which aims to protect the personal data of Americans, including genetic and health information, was the culmination of weeks in which the administration toured China.

The Senate this week passed a bipartisan bill this would provide $ 250 billion to help the United States maintain a competitive advantage over China in critical technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing.

The Pentagon ended a three-month review of China’s attempts to challenge U.S. defense strategy on Wednesday, after concluding that Beijing had become one of its most serious “rhythm threats.”

There is a persistent concern. . . that the US is too confronted and asks the countries to choose between the US and China, even though we say we are not

Biden has also taken steps to reduce dependence on US supply chains in China and last week renewed Donald Trump’s order banning Americans from investing in 59 Chinese companies, including international semiconductor manufacturing cooperation, the largest Chinese manufacturer.

“We have seen a real commitment on the part of the Biden administration to back down against China,” said Bonnie Glaser, a Chinese expert from the German Marshall Fund. “For a lot of people, the administration has been surprised by the positive side.”

After attending the G7 rally in Cornwall, Biden will attend EU-NATO and NATO summits in Brussels, before meeting with Putin in Geneva. The focus in China comes as he talks less about the summit with the Russian president amid criticism that Biden is facing a leader he recently called a “killer.”

A senior EU official saw the meetings as a vital opportunity to unite potential divisions and achieve a “balanced approach”.

“[We] we expect G7 leaders to commit to improving cooperation and aligning strategies on China, ”the official said.

The EU shares many US concerns about China, but has been less interested in being part of an open anti-Beijing alliance. It also struggles with its own tensions with Washington in important areas, such as commerce and e-privacy.

The 27-member European bloc and the United States intend to “consult and cooperate closely” on “multifaceted approaches similar to China, which include elements of cooperation, competition, and systemic rivalry,” according to the draft conclusions for the separate EU-US summit next week.

Concerns shared between the United States and the EU include Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong and security in the East and South China Seas, according to the draft statement, which is still under review.

However, Biden will face challenges with some countries that are worried about being caught in one growing struggle between Washington and Beijing.

“It simply came to our notice then. . . even in Europe, that the US is too confrontational and that the US is really asking the countries to choose between the US and China, even though we say we are not, ”Glaser said.

In issuing an order to protect U.S. data from China, Biden also revoked the Trump-era ban on Americans using Chinese-owned TikTok and WeChat applications, which had been castrated after being challenged. in American courts.

The new order aims to provide a mechanism for conducting “rigorous evidence-based analysis” to assess the risks involved. software of foreign opponents, including China, in a way that will survive legal scrutiny as opposed to Trump’s ban.

“Given this new executive order and last week’s investment action, the administration is clearly moving from months of reviews to a more sustained period of action and implementation,” said Eric Sayers, an expert in security of the American Enterprise Institute.

“It could be a busy summer.”