US President Joe Biden has chosen a slew of China specialists for key positions in his administration, signalling a shift in resources to continue Washington’s tougher approach against Beijing in a renewed “pivot to Asia”, reported the South China Morning Post.
The appointments across departments include Asia experts and veteran advisers from the former Barack Obama administration, but reflect the deepening bipartisan consensus for a more hardline policy to compete with an increasingly aggressive China, said the SCMP.
Sarah Kreps, a professor of government and law at Cornell University, said the new administration’s team has indicated it will chart a different path in China policy, with
Biden warning of “extreme competition” compared to Obama’s efforts for a strategic partnership between the countries.
“All of the signs coming out of the administration are that even if many of the individuals are the same as a decade ago, the policies will not be,” she said. “The specifics are still unclear but the change in tone from the Obama administration is unambiguous.”