Biden’s failed foreign policy with China is based on a disastrous idea

Nearly three years into his presidency, President Joe Biden’s disastrous foreign policy decisions continue to disrupt our national and global security. In 2021, we witnessed the catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan that resulted in the tragic deaths of thirteen service members. In 2022, Russia invaded the country of Ukraine, sparking the largest conflict in Europe since World War II. This year, our ally Israel has endured an unspeakable terrorist attack and fights for its very existence.  

What’s more, we have seen increased aggression by China in the South Pacific and toward Taiwan. This is the type of chaos weak leadership invites. Americans are less safe under Biden’s weak-kneed approach around the world.  

In dealing with our most significant near-peer rival, there seems to be no desire for course correction. Despite occasional stern rhetoric, the Biden administration’s actions toward China are nothing short of appeasement. John Kerry, Biden’s "climate envoy," just wrapped up a summit with his Chinese Communist Party (CCP) counterpart this weekend in the Coachella Valley to hold private conversations on how the United States and China can partner combat climate change.  

WH OFFICIALS CONFIRM DATE, LOCATION FOR BIDEN'S US MEETING WITH CHINESE PRESIDENT XI

In other words, the Biden administration will continue to pursue harmful energy regulations that curb its fossil fuel production and increase prices for everyday Americans while simultaneously allowing China to approve an average of two new coal plants per week. The problem with making agreements with China is only one side actually keeps them, to the detriment of everyday Americans who suffer under increased regulation and taxation. 

U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate met recently with his Chinese counterpart. FILE: Kerry and Chinese top diplomat Wang Yi shake hands at a discussion before a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China July 18, 2023. (Reuters/Florence Lo/Pool)

There was no discussion of "politics," as has been repeatedly stated by Mr. Kerry. There was no discussion of China’s evasion of U.S. sanctions to purchase record amounts of Iranian oil and act to destabilize the Middle East.  

There was no discussion of China’s repression and human rights abuses against millions of Uyghurs, rampant intellectual property theft, complicity in the fentanyl epidemic that kills tens of thousands of Americans each year, threats toward democratic Taiwan, or economic coercion exerted through its Belt and Road Initiative.  

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Time and time again, the Biden administration is more than willing to look the other way for short-term policy concessions at the expense of the American people. History has shown us that a diplomatic strategy of appeasement is destined to fail and poses a serious threat to our economic and national security. 

Make no mistake, the CCP has global ambitions and aims to erode the United States as the sole world superpower by any means necessary. For a time, there was hope that opening our economy to China would liberalize their society and move them toward a more open and free country.  

U.S. President Joe Biden, right, and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands before their meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit meeting, Monday, Nov. 14, 2022, in Nusa Dua, in Bali, Indonesia. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Unfortunately, that has not happened. In fact, the CCP has tightened control over its people, while taking advantage of the economic freedom of the West. It is now imperative that we take proactive steps that protect U.S. investments and the American people by economically disentangling ourselves from China.  

The United States must be steadfast in safeguarding its interests and values. We must engage with China and the international community from a position of strength, firmly defending our principles and security.  

This requires an all-of-the-above approach that includes enhancing our cybersecurity, addressing trade imbalances, promoting human rights, and fostering domestic energy production. By doing so, we can work toward a more stable and secure world, while also ensuring the safety and prosperity of our nation and the entire global community. 

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Ken Calvert is a Republican representing portions of Riverside County in California’s 42nd District in the U.S. House of Representatives.