TIU Global Dialogue #8: Biden and Asia - What’s the Gameplan?

Since 2009, Washington has sought to refocus its attention from the Middle East in order to deal with the rise of China and forge a central role in the evolving geopolitical, security and economic architecture of Asia. From Obama’s “pivot to Asia,” later renamed “rebalance to Asia,” to Trump’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific, the United States has made its ambitions for the 21st Century to be “America’s Pacific Century” clear. But the challenges are daunting – from deterring conflicts in the East and South China Seas, to countering North Korea’s missile and proliferation programs, from promoting democracy and protecting human rights, to shaping regional economic and trade rules. In this talk, Daniel Russel will discuss what can be expected from the Biden Administration’s Asia Policy in the coming months and years. Russel was one of the key figures behind the rebalance to Asia policy. He served as Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs and Special Assistant to the President and National Security Council Senior Director for Asian Affairs under President Obama.