A worried Asia wonders: What will Joe Biden do?

USA will want into TPP.

For starters, remove all the Trump China tariffs. Why not? It will help China recover and make the US economy worse....well might get those gadgets cheaper.

Give it some time. It's over two months before he takes over, and he has a hell of a lot on his plate domestically before he can really focus on international matters.

Biden is a pro when it comes to international relations, and that says a lot considering what his soon to be predecessor was like. Speculating now is not going to do anything, nor help anything.

For starters, remove all the Trump China tariffs. Why not? It will help China recover and make the US economy worse....well might get those gadgets cheaper.

Cool thing also will be when Americans start losing jobs too given back to China. They can join the unemployment club with those after Biden's hard lockdown and getting rid of the oil industry.

getting rid of the oil industry

thats safe for now. The renewable energy pitch was just to make the lefties happy and vote, there is no such think. Was a dismal failure under Obama, as I posted but that was deleted. Sorry, I mentioned Hunter and a pipe

TX voted out the loons, excuse me again..Dems, so they are safe. Joe knows better than to touch that anyway, even though he promised to get rid of fossil fuel energy, he will be Joe and pivot. Many on the right and left bought the ? but the bait was too stinky for me.

think should be thing...sorries

? means...use your imagination, con, ptich etc

Biden is a pro when it comes to international relations, and that says a lot considering what his soon to be predecessor was like. Speculating now is not going to do anything, nor help anything.

Yes he certainly is, as Giuliani discovered.

I’d expect Biden to return to the more moderate, less confrontational approach of the Obama era toward China-U.S. relations,” he said.

The "Pivot to Asia" was implemented under the Obama Administration with Biden as Vice President. While Obama was without doubt far less confrontational as Trump (who isn't?) that has now evolved into the QUAD with Australia, Japan and India participating. China's dream of "owning" the South China Sea is as much, if not even more unlikely under a Biden lead United States.

I’d expect Biden to return to the more moderate, less confrontational approach of the Obama era toward China-U.S. relations,” he said.

The "Pivot to Asia" was implemented under the Obama Administration with Biden as Vice President. While Obama was without doubt far less confrontational as Trump (who isn't?) that has now evolved into the QUAD with Australia, Japan and India participating. China's dream of "owning" the South China Sea is as much, if not even more unlikely under a Biden lead United States.

He must stay tough on the South China sea issue, the Taiwan issue and any other territorial grabs by China. That was the only thing Trump got right in four years. Well he had to stumble over something that was right, the odds were he would find at least one thing that was the right thing to do.

Strengthen alliances around the globe and rejoin TTP, Paris accords, Iran Nuclear agreement and WHO.

While I know things will be much better across the board with Biden, he may not be tough enough on China's territorial aspirations.

Just like all of his predecessors, he will fail to take real action and cut all trade with the CCP and any country who trades with the CCP... which is exactly what the world should do. From Trumps "currency manipulator day one" lies to Clinton's recognition of a one-China policy, it has all been fake distractions so USA companies can make money while it is good... horrible for freedom-loving people and great for dictators like the CCP movers and killers.

The worst of it is countries in Asia making an issue of it. From Japan to Taiwan, to fill-in-the-blank... all they want to do is make money off of the tyranny of the CCP... and they whine about the USA's intentions. When Japanese companies refuse to do business in mainland China, then they should rightly question the USA's lack of moral leadership...

The Biden/Harris COVID-19 task force must establish/ascertain the origins of the retched pandemic.

That is the foremost task at hand, top priority, or else the huffing and puffing, pledges and promises will fail to achieving anything tangible. This Virus is mutating across species .

This will require a global, vigorous and determined political strategy to compel the Government of China to fully cooperate.

I expect the new US Secretary of State to play a more vital role in foreign affairs as President Biden may not want to travel abroad a lot.

The US administration under Democrats tends to address identity politics. China and the US may clash over human rights issues and ethnic minorities under near genocide threat. Much unlike Trump, China money can hardly buy a deal from Biden.

This will require a global, vigorous and determined political strategy to compel the Government of China to fully cooperate.

Short memory?

After the Beijing visit, though, WHO said in a statement that it appreciated “especially the commitment from top leadership, and the transparency they have demonstrated.” Only after the meeting did it declared, on Jan. 30, a public health emergency of international concern. And after China reported only a few new cases each day, WHO declared the coronavirus a pandemic March 11—even though it had spread globally weeks before

I agree we need cooperation, but China appears to have the virus under control. They locked that place up for weeks. We need a vaccine.

Just keeping things in context and objective...lots of Trump bad, Trump did nothing...but during those first weeks of COVID discovery.....forgot about all that?

Yes he certainly is, as Giuliani discovered.

Did he discover it in his pants in that hotel room in the Borat movie?

TheLongTermer, if the virus crosses boundaries, mutates from species to species a vaccine would have limited effect.

What's the science behind mink and coronavirus?

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-54842643

I maybe off topic here but give some space.

I can imagine china is overjoyed that there wiil be such a weak easily manipulated "leader" in the white house from January.

Biden is a pro when it comes to international relations,

Oh yeah, ask the citizens of Libya and Syria about it. And while you are it, ask the Ukranian oligarchs and the CCP. They would certainly be happy with their "pro".

yes I agree there has been many discussions about the mutation but Im just trying to find the game changer in Bidens COVID plan....looks like a copy paste of what Trump was doing.

Exactly, Trump will refuse to leave the the Proud Boys, KKK, OathKeeper, 3%ers, Bundies, and other Militia 2ANRA people will fight for Trump violently.

So far that only exist in your mind, but now that the "defund the police" campaign is over, Im sure law and order would prevent any such occurrence, if only we could of had the same respect for property and LEF during the summer rampage.

I expect the new US Secretary of State to play a more vital role in foreign affairs as President Biden may not want to travel abroad a lot.

In contrast to a President who was a beast, actually got COVID and was out of the hospital in a week, much to the MSM and other chagrin. Theres been allot of mention of Putin and now we have a strong President. I hope so, but Id rather have a brute diesel pickup that everybody says its ugly but it gets stuff done than a truck with so much mileage on it that I got to keep it parked and drive it once a week.

Understandably worried, Biden is an appeaser, the sort of politician who would have thought Adolf Hitler was a man we could do business with, he will treat the CCP in the same way, while I had no time for Trump, the alternative is just as bad in his own way.

What an white wash??? This is the end of USA... China will make USA as its colony. Japan will lose Senkaku island and most of the sea near and even Okinawa.... Nothing good is gong to happen to Asian countries...

Biden and his family and his circle will become the richest family in the world.

America will be an old story as it going to become another Venezuela ...

First of all, it’s good to be surrounded by sea and ocean here. That makes it a little bit more difficult for all that global communists , multiethnic anarchists and antifa to take over also here. And even corona is also kept away as much as still possible. So great!

Ah, I think I'll try to compete for the largest number of thumbs-down--or see how long it takes for this post to be removed by Big Brother....

non party puts it well...Besides, the Chinese no doubt have some juicy videos that will keep Biden (and the Bidens) toeing the line.

The American republic is dying, and I too am on my last legs, but with shaking hands I still cling to my Japanese passport...

Having a sane human being in the White House has got to help all concerned.

Biden will do his dance and pretend to make peace around the world. This is the Calm before the Storm. So party ,drink and be merry!

The issue could be the media is obsessed with the Trump phenomena, to the point of paranoia.

The bogey man, the Trump witch, the serial abnormal psychological crazy displaying the characteristic unpredictable behavior pattern of a lunatic.

Donald Trump, believe it or not, succeeded to office fair and square.

Let it go.....!!!

@yakyak

This is the Calm before the Storm. 

Oh, really? Sounds fascinating. Do let us in on your insight. What kind of storm is that, and why does it occur? While you're at it, please tell us why anyone who thinks "calm" and "storm" need capitalization in the above sentence should be taken seriously.

englisc aspyrgendToday  06:23 pm JST

Understandably worried, Biden is an appeaser, the sort of politician who would have thought Adolf Hitler was a man we could do business with, he will treat the CCP in the same way,

On what do you base this opinion? While Biden was a Vice President under the Obama Administration for 8 years, he was never the President, never a Secretary of State, and never a Secretary of Defense. So in what exact capacity as a Vice President was he in any position to "appease" anybody?

Donald Trump is a individual, not Darth Vader, Mr. Trump will be compelled to leave office.

There is no sitting tendency. It is time the media stop and desist ingratiating the man, to cynically yield revenue/column space. .

The Photo is provocative and a tad misleading.

However fair enough, Dec 4, 2013, and stated.

RecklessToday 05:02 pm JST

@Peter14: Trump also made great progress in the Middle East and started no wars.

He got some peace agreements that was good but stuffed up the Israel/Palestine situation completely so it was even in the end.

The Biden/Harris COVID-19 task force must establish/ascertain the origins of the retched pandemic.

That is the foremost task at hand, top priority,

No the top priority is to reduce deaths from covid and reduce the numbers becoming infected. The origins of covid will not alter with the passage of time so finding that out will come at the appropriate time.

The biggest tragedy is that the blue collar people who are so heavily represented here today have been so completely duped into believing that the Republican Party is the one that cares for them!!

Lots of scary assesments...) Lets hope these Dem "got this"

@nisikat

please be advised I have no admiration for any right wing or left wing fringe group. many of these groups you mention, I have no idea who/what that even is.There is allot of that in Japan also, and I despise all that crap. In any country, its usually a signal of a deeper issue. I find hypocrisy, however, that many rightist groups are rightly prosecuted or called out, but the summer left wing rampage was excused. It left a big impact on me, and MSM celebrity and others promotion of it. It was not freedom of speech, it was more about violence and revolution. Law that is not applied equally always causes deep divisions.

I believe that this administration should be under the same microscope that Trump was, if not more so. That itself would start the healing process. I will readily admit that I can see where some found racism in Trumps behavior and I always condemned that. Perhaps some of his behavior was some kind of coping mechanism, due to the constant harassment. I have never seen anyone endure that level of hate, but that does not excuse allot of what he said. I think his populous polices however were needed to get the US out of the ditch created by neo con wars and liberal fantasy think. With Trump, truth and reality were always transparent, with the left, I honestly have no idea what they are about.

Peter14,

How is that possible, if the science cannot ascertain the origins of COVID-19, the Virus will continue to mutate, the science is left confined to data modeling.

To reduce and eventually curtail the spread of the pandemic, the science must first and foremost establish it grand zero its origins. Or it continue to be one wave after another.

Trump was never about foreign policy, he was about America 1st and it was needed, it had been neglected for decades. Nothing was being made in the US, it had become a shell of what it used to be. I think with 4 more years of Trump without the COVID the US would of been in a very good position.

Asian will have to worry and be anxious as always. They dont know what Biden will do or not do.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe foreign policy, Donald Trump etc etc, was instinctively pragmatic.

 Philosophical, the Japanese way.

Just a quick reminder that Trump lost, lol.

Donald Trump, believe it or not, succeeded to office fair and square.

Let it go.....!!!

And in 2020, he lost fair and square.

Let it go...!!!

The right wing bigot running my country would be a bit worried since he openly endorsed Trump 2020.

Of course Sneezy, however the media want to wring every last anecdote.

nishikat

Trump will not leave, and JB will not be the president

It doesn't work that way. Once the results are certified, and the Electoral College votes to make it official, he has no choice. He will be forcibly removed, if he refuses to leave. I would think that as unhinged as he is, he's not crazy enough to pull a stunt like that.

It's a bit early for this kind of international relationship guesswork.

I find it odd when Klug used the views of two mid-sized Western analysts in Malaysia and the Philippines as the representation of the whole Southeast Asia. The author's argument would be much more substantial if his article mentioned about how prominent political analysts about and in Vietnam and Indonesia consider what the Biden Government should do to counter the influence of China in the region politically, militaristically, and economically.

Wow, there are a lot of economic know-nothings, xenophobes, conspiracy whack jobs and general morons on this thread.

Economic Fact: tariffs are a tax on the citizens of the country that imposes them. That results in higher prices for Americans and fewer exports, and thus fewer jobs for American companies.

Free Trade is fundamentally good. Find a text book by a PhD level economist that does not have some variant of this statement. Peter Nevaro doesn’t count - he’s a joke. Such a book does not exist. I know this because I taught Economics for 10+ years. So the United States is likely to enter TPP.

Human Rights and Freedom if Navigation will likely be a focus of our relationship with China in addition to intellectual property rights - so at times things will be tense. The difference is that Biden will work in cooperation with our allies and act as one rather than a lone player

Biden sure won’t be writing love letters to Kim Jong Un.

China loves Biden, it will be back to business as Japan won't see anything solved, senkakus, kidnapping, South China Sea. I don't like Trump for all things except for his China stance. Too bad our outdated political system doesn't allow us to elect a person to be in charged on certain issues.

"Find a text book [sic} by a PhD level economist..."

If you cannot spell correctly 'textbook' then your argument is innately flawed...

Asia is in trouble with Biden. China will now feel empowered with a like minded socialist and authoritarian in power in Washington. Biden will do little to help Taiwan keep its independence. America is deeply divided and has no ability to project a united front towards anti-democratic regimes abroad. Biden himself represents an anti-democratic new regime in America.

Everyone talking about Biden as though it is a done deal. Wait and see what really happens.