WASHINGTON, D.C. – It’s well-known that China is trying to build up their influence around the world, especially in the Indo-Pacific. Congressional members are focused on the US building more partnerships in the region to protect our interests and safety.
Last week Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to China and visited President Xi Jinping, senior officials and students. His visit was to advocate for better US-Chinese relations. His visit aims to help cool tensions between the US and China by keeping communication channels open to avoid any misunderstandings or any miscalculations.
China was one of the big topics in a recent Senate Foreign Relations hearing. The focus was on strengthening US allies and partnerships in the Indo-Pacific. Senators and international relations experts said China’s influence in the region is growing.
“The US made two flawed geopolitical assumptions last century,” said former US Ambassador to South Korea, Harry Harris, Jr. “One: we assumed the PRC would morph into something resembling a global force for good; and two: Russia would no longer threaten its neighbors to the West. Today the Russian bear is afoot, and we find ourselves shooting well behind the Peking duck. We must step up our game or we will find ourselves out gunned literally or figurately. Our challenges in the Indo-Pacific are real and daunting. I believe our resolve is powerful and durable. We find ourselves again in pure competition [inaudible] with adversaries that are developing and deploying cutting edge weaponry and information disorder to undermine democracy and defeat us.”
In the hearing, Senators said one way to deter China’s growing influence is to continue strengthening our own allies and partnerships.
‘the truth is one of our nation’s greatest strategic advantages are our alliances,” said Sen. Ben Cardin (D- MD).
“The balance of power favorable to the United States protects US interest and allies’ sovereignty, advances economic prosperity and ensures no one has to bow to a bully,” said Sen. James Risch (R- ID). “But the balance of power is being challenged. The greatest threat of regional domination of course comes from China, supported by a growing China- Russia strategic partnership.”
“Who are China’s closest friends,” asked Sen. Cardin. “Russia, Iran, North Korea. Some of the worst human rights abusers in the world that oppress their citizens hopes and dreams. Meanwhile we have five mutual defense treaties with Japan, South Korea, Australia, the Philippines and Thailand and our partnerships include Vietnam, Singapore, New Zealand, Indonesia, India, Mongolia and Taiwan and the list goes on. No one wants to be left off. Why? It’s not because we have the greatest military in the world, it’s because of our values. It’s because while others use debt-trap diplomacy to buy influence and we’re working to bring peace and stability and prosperity.”
Another way to deter China’s influence is by helping countries be less dependent on China.
“The best way to ensure a longtime stability in the Indo-Pacific without Americans going to war is to encourage and support the economic growth for countries like India, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines,” said Walter Mead with the Hudson Institute. “In the hope that at some point these countries are more dynamic powerful and wealthy even in Beijing they’ll understand their dream of dominating the Indo-Pacific is not realistic, it’s too big, even for one country like China to control. So this must always be a core element of our strategy in the region.”
Recently, congress passed a multibillion-dollar foreign aid bill. Part of that bill included roughly 8-billion for the Indo-Pacific region, like providing money for Taiwan’s defense, improving the submarine industrial base and more. For the most part, Senators agree: they must work together to keep China from dominating the region.
“China knows they can get what they want if they can prove us alliances and partnerships are not up to the task when things get tough,” said Sen. Risch.
