Former Biden official says US must work with allies to counter China
Kurt Campbell warns Trump’s strategy risks weakening Washington leverage as policy machinery erodes and Beijing sharpens its approach
Working closely with like-minded countries remains the most effective strategy to counter an increasingly powerful China – in marked contrast to the policies of US President Donald Trump – said a former senior US official, while admitting that the Joe Biden administration made some key mistakes that undercut its own effectiveness.
Campbell, now chairman of the Asia Group consultancy, said Trump’s approach to China has inherent contradictions. At times he seems keen to craft an entirely new US-China relationship built on business deals that benefit “him and the United States”. At other times he seems to want a pause to build US reserves of critical minerals and bolster the US military.
“In many respects, this ambiguity is designed not just to keep China off balance, but frankly, to keep elements in American society guessing what President Trump’s ultimate outcomes and desires are,” he said at an event sponsored by Foreign Policy magazine.
Strategic ambiguity – the idea that Washington will not say whether it will defend Taiwan if the mainland launches an attack – has been a cornerstone of US policy.