Washington Update

The White House this week continued to emphasize a strategic approach to engaging China in coordination with allies. When pressed on the Biden administration’s China strategy on Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki described the relationship as “multi-layered,” noting that it is a priority to engage China on climate, the economy, and security. Though President Joe Biden and his diplomatic team have continued to hold calls with foreign leaders, there is still no indication as to...

The Biden administration this week affirmed its intention to hold China accountable on several fronts, making clear it would do so strategically and in coordination with allies. Strengthening cooperation on areas of shared interest, including China, were topics of President Biden and his national security team’s early engagements with foreign counterparts, which included Japan, South Korea, Australia, India, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and Canada to name a few. It is not yet clear...

With less than a week left in office, and after Trump’s unprecedented second impeachment, the outgoing administration moved quickly this week to solidify its record on China. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stepped up the pace of anti-China actions this week, with actions almost certainly designed to challenge the incoming administration’s diplomatic efforts, particularly on China. Pompeo lifted self-imposed restrictions for diplomatic engagement with Taiwan, disregarding the One China policy...

Washington’s “China space” has been moving fast in the final weeks of 2020. The Department of Commerce rolled out new export control restrictions, publishing a list of Chinese entities subject to military end use restrictions and formally removing Hong Kong’s differential treatment under US export control law. Restrictions on US financial flows to Chinese companies, particularly those associated with the Chinese military, are also moving forward ahead of the presidential transition. Congress...