The US Congress is set to give Mr. Biden's upcoming administration a new legal framework to counter China's rise. This will be a tool to better coordinate the US defense-security apparatus against Beijing, and ensure that lawmakers can accurately judge whether this approach will be successful.
The annual defense bill, scheduled by parliamentarians to vote on December 8, will set up a program to strengthen the posture of the US and alliances in the Indo-Pacific region.
New deterrent initiative with China
In addition, the bill also allocates additional budget to the new attack submarines, which Pentagon officials deem essential to counter China's maritime power.
The act also created a new cybersecurity director position to coordinate cybersecurity-related activities across the entire government, and formulated a plan for the Department of Defense to reduce reliance on equipment. Made in China, from electronic components to masks.
The congressional leaders launched the proposal over the weekend, as National Intelligence Director John Ratcliffe warned of Beijing's unprecedented "both public and secret" lobbying efforts. to ensure that only laws that benefit China are passed. "
Experts have described the anti-China provisions in the defense bill as "good first steps", rather than sudden change. But they also stressed the measures as a sign of how parliament is expecting Mr. Biden's administration to deal with China.
"We often talk about what we need to do but don't say more than do," said Bonnie Glaser, China Power Project director at CSIS, adding that lawmakers clearly concerned about ensuring the right level of interest and resources to deal with China.
"Congress is sending out a clear message here," Ms. Glaser said, saying the message to the Biden administration was "go ahead."
The primary focus program in the defense bill is the New Pacific Deterrence Initiative, which aims to establish a holistic, regional-wide approach to counter China in Beijing's direct influence. .
The inspiration came from the European Deterrence Initiative, launched in 2014 to increase the presence of US forces to protect NATO allies from Russia.
The new initiative will have a budget of $ 2.2 billion for the first year, a fraction of the $ 740.5 billion balanced for the bill.
In general, this initiative aims to improve America's posture, capabilities, and defense alliances in the region. However, how to implement the initiative will largely depend on the decision of the Biden administration.
The Biden administration's first challenge
Military commanders and experts both noted that going against China would be one of the earliest and most important challenges for the Biden administration, as the rise of China challenged the United States both militarily. economics, and technology.
The defense bill attempts to reflect that with provisions that not only cover the expansion of US military assets to counter Beijing's influence, but also work to protect intellectual property, restricting China's access to the World Bank and even mentioning anti-human rights abuses in Hong Kong by restricting exports of some defense goods to the special zone.
"China has become the remaining superpower, and in that way, Mr. Biden has no choice but to try to define a new way of thinking about this challenge," said Michael O'Hanlon, a national expert. Brookings Institution's foreign policy department and director, said.
Mr. O'Hanlon also noted that, while the bill gives the defense minister plenty of power, it also gives the Biden administration plenty of space to plan its own response to Beijing.
"If I was part of the Biden team, I would say to the congress" Thank you, "because sometimes it's helpful to organize ideas by topic. There are few details to force Biden to do something, but he can do what he wants, "said Mr. O'Hanlon.
For parliament, the new initiatives are not only driven by a desire to bolster America's position with China, but also allow lawmakers to have more control over how the race with Beijing is organized.
The bill requires the defense secretary to inform parliament exactly what resources the Pentagon will need to achieve the deterrence initiative's goal, and monitor periodic reports to secure the plan.
The bill also requires the Pentagon to give parliament at least 90 days notice before reducing US troops in South Korea below the 28,500 mark.
Compliance with the expected reporting requirements affects not only debates on Capitol Hill, where there is a bipartisan interest in measures aimed at curbing Chinese influence, but also how the funds Defense in charge of the future allocated area.
The expectation now is a deterrent initiative that will increase its budget in the coming years. Lawmakers say it is expected funding for the program will double in fiscal year 2022.