Pittsburgh vs Beijing: Biden plays China in the main speech International Trade News

In his first speech to Congress, President Biden said he would defend US subsidies to Chinese state-owned enterprises for the theft of technology.

U.S. President Joe Biden stressed in his first speech to Congress in China that he would maintain a strong U.S. military presence in the Indo-Pacific region and promote technological development and trade.

“China and other countries are closing fast. We need to develop and master the products and technologies of the future, ”Biden said on Wednesday.

And in the line that sparked the loudest applause of the evening, he said, “There’s no reason not to have wind turbine blades for Pittsburgh’s Beijing.”

Biden has repeatedly identified the country’s biggest foreign policy challenge to competition with China. He and his fellow Democrats, as well as opposition Republicans, have moved in a tougher line in their relations with Beijing.

“America will advocate unfair trade practices that reduce U.S. workers and industry, such as subsidies to state-owned enterprises and the theft of American technology and intellectual property,” Biden said.

Competition, not conflict

“We are competing with China and other countries to win the 21st century,” Biden said. Chinese President Xi Jinping, Biden added, said it is “deadly” because of China’s “becoming the most significant and important nation in the world.”

Biden reiterated previous comments that he believes the US and China can find areas of cooperation – as an example he set to tackle climate change – and that conflict is not inevitable. But he promised that the US will keep itself when it believes US or global interests are at stake.

He also told Xi that the US would maintain a strong military presence in the Indo-Pacific region “as we do with NATO in Europe – not to start conflicts – but to avoid one”.

While offering little detail, Biden paid more attention to China than any other foreign policy issue, largely in a speech focused on domestic politics.

Politicians are now being urged to pass a comprehensive package of two-party legislation that will pave the way for the Senate to push for Beijing’s human rights, address trade imbalances and boost funding for new U.S. technology development to compete more effectively with China.

“America will not back down from our commitments to human rights and fundamental freedoms and our alliances,” he said.

Biden led the competition with another geopolitical rival, Russia. He made it clear to President Vladimir Putin that Moscow’s intervention in the U.S. election and cyberattacks against government and business would have consequences, but that Washington is not looking to escalate.

And, aside from Donald Trump’s foreign policy from his former Republican, Biden said he would work closely with allies to address the threats posed by Iran and North Korea’s nuclear programs.