Biden Talks Tough On China; Beijing Says US Defense Budget Reflects “Sick Psychology” 

President Joe Biden addressed a joint session of Congress in Washington on Wednesday evening. He made it a point that America and its allies must work closely together against competition from China. 

Biden said President Xi Jinping is “deadly earnest on becoming the most significant, consequential nation in the world.” The rhetoric from Biden last night is that his administration will continue pressuring China and maintain former President Tump’s firm position on Beijing, including tariffs, sanctions, strong defense budget, and heightened military activity in the Pacific. 

“We are in competition with China and other countries to win the 21st century,” Biden said. “We are at a great inflection point in history. We have to do more than just build back better. … We have to compete more strenuously.”

To keep up with China, Biden has ambitions to increase military spending above the past administration. For some context on current military spending, the Pentagon is already spending $740,000,000,000 this fiscal year, $2,000,000,000 every day, $1,000,000 every minute. 

Under a Biden administration, U.S. military vessels and surveillance planes directed toward China have increased significantly.  

Bloomberg quoted defense Ministry spokesman Senior Colonel Wu Qian at a press conference on Thursday in Beijing, saying activity by U.S. military ships was up 20% and by planes 40% in areas China claims since Biden took office January over the same period last year.

The U.S.’ constant deployment of ships and planes to operate in seas and airspace near China has created a more hostile area. Wu also addressed the massive U.S. defense budget with a heavy focus on China, reflecting a “sick psychology.” 

Even during COVID-19, the U.S. military ramped up its military spending, outpacing much of the world. 

A great power competition between the U.S. and China is evident. Biden continues pressuring China and ramping of military activity around the country with plans to increase defense budgets. Perhaps, the reason for this is that Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry Joseph Wu recently warned that China is planning “for their final military assault against Taiwan.” 

While China sets its eyes on Taiwan, the U.S. is falling into Thucydides Trap, where it attempts to squash rising China.