In a series of high-profile visits to India and Vietnam, President Joe Biden repeatedly stressed that his efforts to strengthen ties with China’s neighbors were not aimed at “containing” Beijing. During a press conference in Hanoi, he underlined that the goal is to “get the relationship right” between the United States and China, the world’s two leading powers.
While the Biden administration has previously stated that it does not seek to curb China’s rise, the president’s reiterated message in India and Vietnam marked a strong signal that the U.S. is not interested in sparking a new Cold War with China. The trip, which included a G20 summit and an official upgrade of the bilateral relationship with Vietnam, was primarily framed as an effort to rally allies for collaboration on climate change and economic development.
Biden emphasized that his presence in Asia was not about boosting America’s regional influence at the expense of China but about establishing a “stable base” in the Indo-Pacific. He called for moving away from Cold War-era thinking and instead focusing on ensuring that China adheres to the principles of the rules-based international order created after World War II.
The president’s ultimate aim is to foster a transparent and constructive relationship with China, emphasizing adherence to established international norms.
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