Biden needs to enhance his Asia strategy with a firm commitment to free trade

AMERICA'S allies in the Indo-Pacific region have welcomed US President Joe Biden’s introduction of a coherent strategy to dealing with Washington’s challenges in Asia, led by the rising economic and military power of China.

Since entering office, President Biden and his top foreign policy aides have made it clear that they intend to boost the US pivot to Asia, shifting the geo-strategic and geo-economic focus of US policy from the Atlantic and the Middle East to Asia. And in contrast to his predecessor in office, President Biden has insisted that this more forceful US approach to the Indo-Pacific would not be unilateral in nature but be based on working together with America’s allies instead of bickering with them the way former President Donald Trump did.

Hence the Biden administration strengthened US alliances with Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and in particular, with India, and also increased support for Taiwan, with a clear message to China: The US is here to stay in Asia.