BRUSSELS, March 24, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – The United States sees China as a
threat to collective security, but will not force allies to choose between
Beijing and Washington, Secretary of State Antony Blinken was set to say
Wednesday.
“The United States won’t force our allies into an ‘us-or-them’ choice with
China,” he was to say, according to excerpts of a speech to be delivered at
NATO headquarters in Brussels.
The US top diplomat was to tell allies in the keynote speech on his first
European visit that “there’s no question that China’s coercive behaviour
threatens our collective security and prosperity”.
“But that doesn’t mean countries can’t work with China where possible. The
United States will. We can’t afford not to — – especially on challenges like
climate change and health security,” according to the transcript.
Blinken was due to say that Washington wants to work with partners to
“close the gaps in areas like technology and infrastructure, which China is
exploiting to exert coercive pressure.”
“We know that our allies have complex relationships with China that won’t
always align perfectly with ours. But we need to navigate these challenges
together,” the was set to say.
The comments from Blinken represent a major shift in US policy from
attempts by former leader Donald Trump to strong arm allies into taking a
tougher line on Beijing.
President Joe Biden is keen to take a multilateral approach as he looks to
enlist NATO allies and partners such as the European Union in a united front
of democracies to challenge authoritarian China.
Washington and Brussels took a first step towards joint action against
Beijing by unveiling synchronised sanctions on Monday over the crackdown on
the Uyghurs in China.
But Brussels irritated Biden’s team by agreeing a broad investment deal
with Beijing weeks before he took office, despite Washington urging the EU to
wait.
Blinken is set to hold talks later Wednesday with EU chief Ursula von der
Leyen, a day before Biden joins a video summit of leaders from the bloc.