The White House released a national security strategy paper on Wednesday (12) stating that the overwhelming challenge facing the US in the coming years will be “overcoming China and containing Russia”. The 48-page document, which has been long delayed due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, says “Russia and China pose different challenges,” but the content focuses more on relations with China. The document states that China “is the only country that has both the intention to reshape the international order and a growing number of economic, diplomatic, military and technological forces to advance this goal” and describes China as the most major US geographic policy challenge.
The document also states that the United States must compete effectively with China, but it does not seek conflict or a new Cold War, nor does it want competition between nations to divide the world. The document believes that China plays a central role in the world economy and has a major impact on the process of solving common global problems, especially climate change and global health issues.It is possible that the United States and China are coexisting peacefully. The document reiterates that the United States intends to maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, opposes unilateral changes to the status quo and does not support Taiwan’s independence.
In response to Russia, the document mentioned that the Russian government has chosen to pursue an imperialist foreign policy over the past 10 years with the aim of subverting the international order, which ultimately led to a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. in an attempt to overthrow the Kiev government; he also stressed the damage caused by the long conflict to the Russian army. “They could increase Moscow’s dependence on nuclear weapons in its military programs”; the United States “will not allow” Russia to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons to achieve its goals. In addition to maintaining and increasing current military support for Ukraine, the United States is refocusing on building collective defense capabilities to counter common threats emanating from Russia, including threats to American infrastructure and American democracy. The document goes on to state that the war in Ukraine “has considerably weakened Russia’s position vis-à-vis Asian powers such as China, India and Japan”; further, the document states that while Russia poses a regional threat to European and global markets, the Kremlin “lacks China’s global capability.”
Overall, a Biden administration would prioritize three things: promoting the domestic industry and high-tech sectors; strengthen global alliances such as NATO; and investing in modernizing and strengthening the US military.
