US President Joe Biden has outlined his administration’s foreign policy priorities in a speech at the State Department, reassuring the “watching world” that “America is back.”
In his first diplomatic speech since becoming President, Mr Biden signalled a no-nonsense approach to China and Russia, urged Myanmar’s military leaders to bring their coup to an end, said the US would no longer support Saudi offensives in Yemen, and halted the withdrawal of US troops in Germany.
As part of a list of policies opposite that of ex-President Donald Trump, he also announced a more open policy regarding refugee admissions.
In his speech, President Biden said “American leadership must meet this new moment of advancing authoritarianism, including the growing ambitions of China to rival the United States and the determination of Russia to damage and disrupt our democracy.
“Investing in our diplomacy isn’t something we do just because it’s the right thing to do for the world; We do it in order to live in peace, security and prosperity.”
The President also revealed that the US will be “keeping troops in Germany for now.” President Biden made known that he has halted Donald Trump’s plans to withdraw US troops from Germany.
He said the pullout would be stopped until Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin had conducted an extensive review of the United States’ global military presence.
Last year, then-President Trump announced he was going to withdraw some 9,500 of the roughly 34,500 US troops currently stationed in Germany.
Addressing the US’ relationship with Russia, President Biden said he would not accept Russian President Vladimir Putin’s strong-arm tactics against the West. He also called for the unconditional release of Kremlin-critic Alexei Navalny, who was earlier this week given a lengthy jail term.
“I made it clear to President Putin, in a manner very different from my predecessor that the days of the United States rolling over in the face of Russia’s aggressive actions, interfering with our elections, cyberattacks, poisoning its citizens, are over.”
President Biden also gave a stern defence of Navalny and heavily criticized the Kremlin’s treatment of the opposition leader.
“The Russian efforts to suppress freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are a matter of deep concern to us and the international community. Mr Navalny, like all Russian citizens, is entitled to his rights under the Russian constitution. He’s been targeted for exposing corruption. He should be released immediately and without condition.”
The President also intimated that the US must ‘confront China’, calling the Asian country the United States’ “most serious competitor.”
According to President Biden, Beijing is expanding its military and making efforts to increase its global influence. Differences over trade, Hong Kong and what the US military called China’s destabilizing and aggressive behaviour in the South China Sea, sparked a rift between the two nations during the previous administration.
“We’ll confront China’s economic abuses, counter its aggressive, coercive action to push back on China’s attack on human rights, intellectual property and global governance,” he said, before offering an olive branch.
“But we’re ready to work with Beijing when it’s in America’s interest to do so.”
Speaking on the Myanmar coup d’etat, President Biden said the United States is working with allies and partners to address the military coup in Myanmar.
“There can be no doubt, in a democracy, force should never seek to overrule the will of the people or attempt to erase the outcome of a credible election,” President Biden said in reference to last November’s ballot that saw Nobel Peace laureate Suu Kyi win a huge landslide.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan added that the White House was considering targeted sanctions on individuals and on entities controlled by the military.
President Biden also said the United States was ending its support for a five-year Saudi-led military offensive in Yemen that has deepened suffering in the Arabian Peninsula’s poorest country.
“The war has created a humanitarian and strategic catastrophe. This war has to end.”
The President also said he would approve an executive order to increase the capacity to accept refugees in the face of “unprecedented global need.”
Mr Biden added that he wants to raise yearly refugee admissions to 125,000 in the coming fiscal year, a more than eight-fold increase after former President Trump slashed levels to historic lows.
Mr Trump portrayed refugees as a security threat and a drain on resources.
“It’s going to take time to rebuild what has been so badly damaged. But that’s precisely what we’re going to do.”
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