News analysis US winning against China, says Biden as term nears end

But unresolved trade issues and ongoing global conflicts cast shadow on his legacy

- Bhagyashree Garekar

Sandwiched between two terms of a rival whose transactional approach to foreign policy is the polar opposite of his own, US President Joe Biden claimed credit for setting America on course to victory over China.

Speaking to officials at the State Department on Jan 13, he painted a picture of a country primed to compete with its biggest rival.

"Today, I can report to the American people, we're in a better strategic position for long-term competition with China than we were when I took office," said Mr Biden.

"China will never surpass us," he declared, emphasizing that the US would maintain its status as the world's top superpower.

China came up no fewer than 15 times in his speech, underscoring the centrality of the US-China rivalry in Mr Biden's foreign policy.

After the consensus on China began fracturing during Mr Barack Obama's presidency, it was President-elect Donald Trump who directly took on China during his first term, levying tariffs against what he saw as unfair Chinese trade practices.

Mr Biden added an array of export restrictions to nurture strategic industries like semiconductors.

America's strength derives from his administration's efforts in building a robust economy and strong diplomatic alliances, Mr Biden said.

Speaking to The Straits Times, Dr Robert Sutter, professor of practice of international affairs at the Elliott School of George Washington University, agreed that the strategy forced China on the back foot.

"His administration walked the line between making advances at the expense of China and not risking war. This worked," Dr Sutter said.

Mr Gregory Poling, a senior fellow at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, said the truth was more complicated.