White House spokesman Jen Psaki’s statement in January that the U.S. administration of Joe Biden would be “strategically patient” with China sent shockwaves through Japan. In its latest explanation to The Japanese media, the White House has reversed this claim.
A White House spokesman stressed in an interview with the Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun on Feb. 9 that the White House’s previous statement did not mean that the “strategic patience” policy adopted by former U.S. President Barack Obama in dealing with the North Korean nuclear issue would apply to China.
On Jan. 25, White House spokesman Leonardo Psaki said China has become more authoritarian on domestic issues over the past few years, and increasingly autocratic internationally, and that Beijing is challenging global security, prosperity and values. The U.S. needs to respond in a new way, and we want to remain patient in our strategy toward China and hope for an internal cross-sectoral assessment.
According to the Sankei Shimbun, Psaki’s remarks sparked heated debate in Japan because Japan fears a repeat of the Obama administration’s “strategic patience” policy, which led to a relaxation of vigilance over North Korea’s nuclear tests and ballistic missiles, will be repeated in its policy toward China.
A White House spokesman noted that Obama’s “strategic patience” on North Korea was used in the past to describe a specific policy tool, and that “the United States does not intend to use the ‘strategic patience’ framework when constructing an integrated strategy in the Indo-Pacific and with China. ‘ as a framework.”
In addition, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Feb. 8 on CNN, “Former U.S. President Donald Trump‘s tough line on China was right as a basic principle.” He added: “(The U.S.) will be in a tough position to deal with China.”
Recent Comments