The United States will lead the democratic alliance against the Russian and Chinese dictatorships in the 21st century. This was the message revealed by U.S. President Joe Biden when he attended the Group of Seven (G7) and the Munich Security Conference (MSC) back-to-back on Feb. 19. At both of these important meetings, the Chinese Communist Party was the focus. At the Munich Security Conference, Biden said that competition with the Chinese Communist Party is “serious” and that the U.S., Europe and Asian countries should work together to prepare for a “long-term strategic competition” with the Chinese Communist Party in order to ensure peace and safeguard democratic values.
“America is back.” Biden opened the Munich security video conference with his signature diplomatic slogan, boosting the morale of the U.S.-European alliance with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron on the same stage.
The Munich Security Conference, formerly known as the International Conference on Defense Science and the Munich Conference on Defense Science, has been held every February since 1963 and is a world-class annual conference on international security policy.
After taking office, Biden, who announced the return of the United States to the international arena, chose the Munich Security Conference, which he had participated in since he was a senator more than 40 years ago, as the stage to reunite the United States with its traditional allies in Europe, targeting not only the old European headache of Russia, but also the Chinese Communist Party.
U.S. President Joe Biden took office after frequent talks with allies to deal with the Chinese Communist challenge. (Reuters file photo)
Biden told China to abide by international rules
Biden made it clear: “I expect that the competition with the Chinese Communist Party will be tough, and I welcome it because I believe that we and Europe, and our allies in the Indo-Pacific region, have worked together over the past 70 years to create this global system, and we can dominate this battle for the future ……, and we must confront the economic abuses and coercive practices of the Chinese Communist authorities, as well as the weakening of the foundations of the international economic system. Every country must abide by the same rules.”
Biden said that Chinese Communist companies should follow the same rules and norms as European and American companies, and disclose their corporate governance structures in order to end monopolies and corruption. Also, this is the only way to develop better rules to govern advanced technology as well as codes of conduct in cyberspace.
He added that “artificial intelligence and biotechnology are used to enhance people’s lives, not to suppress them.”
Countering attempts by authoritarian states to weaken democracy, Biden looked to the Pacific at the transatlantic conference. He stressed that the way the United States, Europe and Asian democracies are to work together to ensure peace and the defense of shared values and trans-Pacific prosperity is the most important task of the 21st century.
Confronting Russian and Chinese dictatorships is not a cold war
Biden also noted that while the challenges posed by Russia and Communist China are not identical, they are real, and that this is not about East versus West, but about competing values.
He noted that democracy is crucial and that at this turning point in history, it must prove that it will and absolutely will win, that it will serve the people and change the world.
“In my opinion, this is our mission, democracy is not an accident, we must rise up to defend it and reinvent it fortified ……. We must prove that democracy is not a relic of history …… but that does not mean we want conflict, we want all nations in the future to be free to determine their own path of development without violence and coercion. We cannot and do not have to return to the reflexive opposition and ironclad nature of the Cold War.” Biden said.
He stressed that competition does not mean not cooperating on issues that will affect everyone. In addition to mentioning the U.S. return to the Paris Climate Agreement, he also announced that the U.S. will provide $2 billion in funding to the World health Organization’s (WHO) International Vaccine Initiative (COVAX) to ensure equitable distribution of vaccines worldwide.
Biden sought to reshape the image of the Democratic Alliance and the United States with values, emphasizing that the U.S. will continue to lead democratic allies and demonstrate that democratic institutions still have the capacity for better governance and good governance.
Prior to the Munich Security Conference, Biden also participated in a meeting of G7 leaders via video link.
G7 unites in pressure to change China’s unfair trade practices
The UK, as the host of this year’s G7, also gave the greatest support to the special relationship between the UK and the US. In the joint statement after the G7 leaders’ meeting, Biden’s campaign slogan “Build Back Better” was included, which not only gave the US face and opportunity, but also meant to target the Chinese Communist Party.
The joint statement said the seven leaders will promote an open economy and society; uphold the principle of mutual trust to allow the free flow of data and regulate the development of the digital economy; and work together to reform the rules-based multilateral trading system to be “freer and fairer”. This will be centered on the reform of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to reflect the values of the G7 and achieve more balanced growth.
The statement mentioned that in order to support a fair and mutually beneficial global economic system that exists for all, the G7 will interact with other countries, especially G20 countries including large economies like the Chinese Communist Party, while “G7 leaders will consult with each other and take concerted action to address non-market oriented policies and practices.”
Foreign news reports that British Prime Minister Johnson wants the G7 to be stronger against institutional rivals such as the Chinese Communist Party, Russia, and Saudi Arabia, and has invited the leaders of India, Australia, and South Korea to participate in a leaders’ summit (G7 summit) scheduled to take place in Cornwall, England, this June.
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