‘Tyrants like Xi Jinping and Putin only understand force Mr Biden’

After decades of detente between the world’s two great powers, the presidency of Donald Trump saw a trade war begin and a new era of Pacific protectionism emerge. Simultaneously, the world has begun to see the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for what it really is, with their genocide of Uyghur Muslims and the extent of their desire to conquer Taiwan revealed to a world which had been all too willing to turn a blind eye for a quick buck.Although Xi confirmed his full consolidation of power at October’s CCP Congress, China looks for the first time in decades to be weakening. Its paranoid zero-COVID policy has fuelled economic stagnation and shown once again that far from being efficient, one-party states are exposed to pursuing bad policies because they lack any internal opposition.Additionally, China is facing a demographic crisis because of its ageing population, whilst its low consumer demand has made it one of the few countries in the world to experience deflation.President Biden, newly empowered by an impressive midterm election performance by his Democratic Party, should take advantage of these weaknesses to reassert American influence in the Pacific.At the outset of today’s bilateral summit, Biden stated that the two leaders would discuss their respective red lines on Taiwan amid analysis suggesting that China is ramping up preparations for invasion.Biden’s post-summit press conference was diplomatic: he stated that Xi is “the way he’s always been – direct and straightforward”, but that he felt Xi was willing to compromise. Which is it, Mr President?If we have learned anything from Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, it’s that chauvinistic nationalist tyrants do not back down from their imperialist goals unless they clearly understand that there is a price to pay for achieving them. Biden needs to show Xi America is serious about enforcing its ‘red lines’ in the Pacific (Image: Getty)Taiwan is not only strategically vital but also a liberal democratic nation standing against the spectre of domination from its aggressive, authoritarian neighbour. Biden leaving it vulnerable to Chinese domination would be a betrayal of our values and send a message to the international community that America is closed for business when it comes to tackling the world’s evil empires.Biden also has a diplomatic carrot to offer Xi in the form of US trade. As mentioned, Chinese consumer confidence and sales growth have declined since the start of the pandemic. Removing Trump’s tariffs on Chinese products like steel piping, cars, and washing machines would broaden Chinese producers’ shrinking consumer base.It would also expand supply in the American economy, delivering a genuinely pro-growth policy to the Biden administration, which, like the British government, has thus far been hell-bent on money printing and higher taxes to deal with the economic downturn.As such, ending the trade war could have a positive impact on Biden’s dire approval ratings and focus Chinese minds on the fact that a constructive relationship with the Americans has significant benefits.The economic impact of ending the US-China trade war is not the only way that Biden can use foreign policy on China to his benefit.Like one of his predecessors, Ronald Reagan, Biden’s opponents have used his advancing age and apparently deteriorating mental capacity as political attacks.Something Reagan demonstrated, however, was that showing strength against a geopolitical foe can counter such criticisms.As with taking on the Soviet Union in the 1980s, tackling China is popular across the political spectrum, and if Biden can successfully stave off another communist threat to American geopolitical supremacy, he can take the momentum he has gained from the midterms and start any re-election campaign with a solid set of policy victories.To do this, however, he will need to do more than deliver diplomatic language at bilateral meetings. He needs to show Xi that America is serious about enforcing its ‘red lines’ in the Pacific.Harrison Griffiths is Communications Officer at the Institute of Economic Affairs