New form of US-China rivalry

US President Joe Biden has said that his country will maintain open communication lines and seek no conflict with China, and the United States would compete vigorously with Beijing while ensuring competition does not veer into conflict.

Presently, President Joe Biden is on a trip to Asia and after attending the meeting of the leaders of Southeast Asian and East Asian (ASEAN) nations in Cambodia, he is now set to participate in G20 Summit from 15-16 November in Indonesia. According to reports, President Biden is scheduled to meet with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping ahead of the G20 Summit which is expected to be held in a highly tense atmosphere due to the current geopolitical situation in the world.

Although, the newest twist in Washington’s approach toward Beijing is a bit strange but not unexpected due to a series of the latest developments in East Asia in recent weeks. The giant of Pyongyang came out of its clothes in reaction to US-Seoul joint military drills and practiced a series of latest missile tests and nuclear-capable warheads in the South China and East China Seas, which belled alarmed in the regional and western capitals. Interestingly, Biden’s recent statement regarding US relations with China came after his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President, Yoon Suk-Yeul, during which the trios nations’ leaders discussed the geopolitical situation in the Korean Peninsula and its impacts on the region and beyond.

The reports suggest that there are some worrisome developments regarding Poyonyong’s recent provocation for the United States such as North’s proposed ability to carry out electromagnetic pulse attacks against allies’ control and command system along with the capability to target mainland America through a newly built and tested ballistic missile. At the time, the west has no suitable alternative for Beijing to deal with Pyongyang, and the troika of China-North Korea, and Russia could be more fatal to deal with collectively. Therefore, the United States intends to apply the so-called theory of Divide, Isolate, and Destroy its rivals, hence the freedom of Taiwan has been deferred up to a suitable movement and the imminent threat emerging from Korean Peninsula would be addressed with the help of China.

According to US officials, the Biden-Xi meetup could last for a couple of hours and both leaders would deliberate on bilateral, regional, and global issues on mutual interests. As Biden stated, the constructive competition between both nations will continue along with positive engagement on the issues of mutual interest while climate change, North Korea, Iran nuclear deal and Counterterrorism could be the points on the agenda to move forward in a win-win direction.

Apparently, it is a meaningful approach that can satisfy the US’s immediate needs in the Indo-Pacific region, however, the success of Biden’s philosophy largely depends on Xi’s response regarding a mixed relationship that could be a friendship with an enemy or enmity with a friend that Americans had always termed as a double game. The cessation of confrontation In the Taiwan Strait would provide space to both rivals, China to strengthen its grip over the Island while Washington could be able to kill an enemy with the help of an enemy. Hence, the time will mark the success of Biden’s plan in the future.