Abstract
US President Joe Biden’s China policy rests on two conceptual pillars: great-power relationships as battles between two ideological blocs, democracy and autocracy; and globalisation as a zero-sum game in the struggle for hegemony. But China’s supposed tilt towards Western norms was essentially wishful thinking on the part of the US policy elite, and Chinese leaders have emphasised the country’s aim of peaceful, ‘win–win’ advancement. The Biden administration should realise that the democracy-versus-autocracy paradigm has all but collapsed, and that China desires constructive economic engagement rather than outright dominance. All major powers face challenges and constraints, and none now appears strong enough to secure a decisive advantage. Chinese President Xi Jinping’s goal is strategic stability, especially with respect to Taiwan, but Washington has been unreceptive. For Beijing to take engagement with the Biden administration seriously, Biden’s team would have to dispense with its inconsistent positions and condescending attitude.
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