I think there's a perception in China and elsewhere that Biden's election will lead to a return to accommodation.

It doesn't help that words like "Taiwan" or "Hong Kong" or "Xinjiang" or "Uyghur" barely appear anywhere on the campaign website. https://twitter.com/Comparativist/status/1287234622175158278

I would like to see Biden dispel this perception. For example he could make an explicit statement about the inclusion of the Senkaku islands within the US' defensive commitments to Japan.

I choose that one because it's not one that's Trump-coded since he hasn't touched it, and it fits with the alliance-building theme Democrats prefer.

It's not about signalling to the public it's about signalling to Chinese elites. https://twitter.com/alon_levy/status/1287240341251399681

The only mention of Xinjiang on Biden's website is in his appeal to Muslim Americans, and it gets less space than his condemnation of India's treatment of Muslims.

His only mentions of sanctions on CHina include the weasel word, "Targeted," meaning "on very few people and with plenty of loopholes for capital to continue flowing through."

The campaign statements repeatedly criticize Trump's "go it alone" approach. I get that. At the same time it's important to understand that if you wait for other countries to get on board you're betting the Chinese run out of cash to pay bribes and that won't happen.

I want the US to work with our allies. But it's naive and foolish to think there's anywhere for a leader to be than in the front, breaking new ground, even if it's uncomfortable.

"Leading from behind" has worked out super great in Libya

right

right guys

right

The section on America leading the democracies is also pretty lulzy. It's like "WE WILL ASK THE TECH COMPANIES TO MAKE SOME COMMITMENTS (and then we will pursue win-win projects with China)"

staaaahp

Don't try to work with China in areas of mutual concern. Injure, wound, humiliate, and weaken.

The wild thing is Biden claims Trump has not imposed *enough* trade barriers! The one place where Biden is more hawkish on China than Trump is that he thinks we need more trade barriers with China to protect American workers!

So his big idea is to make international trade in goods expensive but do nothing to deal with the flows of capital, knowledge, culture, and influence that actually determine a country's power.

So look. If you want to know why people think Biden is soft on China, you don't just have to look at the millions of dollars CCP-affiliated companies have donated to the research center named after him at UPenn.... you can just read his platform.

This statement is hilarious too. His response to the NSL in Hong Kong is to place narrowly-targeted sanctions on companies directly providing aid to repressive activities.

That's it. That's the plan. We will defend democracy by at least not selling them facial recognition tech. That'll show'em.

And then he says IF China tries to silence US citizens, there would be more sanctions.

IF!?!?!?!?!?!

Sorry dude that's been happening for years and it's happening now.

Biden repeatedly makes the "minimum bid" for dealing with China.

And yes I know Trump has crapped all over vital parts of containing China: abandoning TPP, alienating numerous allies, discontinuing military exercises, cutting immigration, etc. These are all own-goals that weaken the US relative to China.

But the last few months have seen the Trump administration seemingly finally wake up to the China issue. I suspect it may really be because they are realizing electoral defeat is imminent and Biden is waaaaay too chummy with the CCP for comfort.

So they're trying to force him to be more hawkish on China.

Good!

Force away!

This administration has done so much harm to American interests, the least they can do is try to nudge the next guy away from his instinct to kowtow to Xi Jinping.