China and inflation appear as the great enemies of the United States and much of the world in Joe Biden's new National Security Strategy. His government released the document on Wednesday after a delay of several months due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
"We recognize that, in the geopolitical space, the People's Republic of China represents the most important geopolitical challenge to the United States," explained National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, unpacking the key points of the Strategy in a telephone press conference.
For Biden and his team, "China harbors the intention and, increasingly, the ability to reshape the international order." A reshaping in which Beijing tries to "tilt the global playing field in its favor while the United States remains committed to the responsible management of the competition between our countries", states the US Executive in the 48-page strategic document.
The fundamental premise of the Strategy is that "we have entered a decisive decade with respect to two fundamental strategic challenges," said Sullivan. The first is "the competition between the main powers to shape the future of the international order", with the Asian giant at the head.
The second challenge is that, as that competition with China unfolds, "we must face a series of transnational challenges that are affecting people all over the world, including the United States: from climate change to food insecurity to communicable diseases , terrorism, the energy transition and inflation".
The National Security Strategy constitutes a fundamental guide to orient the national budgets in general, and in particular those of the Pentagon and the country's espionage agencies. It is, at the same time, a roadmap that allows public and private agents involved in the country's security and defense to fine-tune their plans.
The text of the Strategy of course underlines the "global leadership" of the United States and its "ability to shape the terms of the world order" as well as to overcome current threats facing the world, from climate change to the emergence of authoritarian regimes.
