Pence urges more aggressive stance against China, asks Biden to reduce economic reliance

Amidst an emerging 'cold war', former US Vice President Mike Pence has called on President Joe Biden to take more steps to maintain the pressure on the country's geopolitical adversary China. Speaking at the event, Pence called on the incumbent administration to build on the pressure that the previous Republican administration created adding that only a “confident America” could tackle the challenge of China. In his speech, the top Republican also highlighted other issues that need to be targeted aggressively including the coronavirus origin probe, treatment of Uighurs inter alia.

"Our elected leaders must build on the progress of the Trump-Pence administration, and use the economic and military power of the United States to check the ambitions of the Chinese Communist Party in ways that put the American people and American values first," Pence said adding "Only a proud, confident and united America can meet the challenge of China."

Burning issues 

Pence also took the opportunity to buttress the stance of GOP leader Rick Scott who called for the 2022 Winter Olympics to be moved out of China due to its inhumane treatment and genocide of Uyghurs. Furthermore, he lambasted Beijing’s lack of transparency around the origins of the coronavirus pandemic and argued evidence "strongly suggests the coronavirus leaked out of a Chinese lab." It is imperative to note that while the Trump-Pence administration blatantly showed their support for the lab leak theory, WHO experts dismissed the possibility of the virus being artificially developed. 

Pence also asked the Biden administration to segregate US economic interests with Chinese industries, emphasizing that a failure to do so could lead to increased US dependence on Chinese goods. Emphasizing the need to develop a strong Navy, the former leader stated that it was needed to tackle the Chinese threat in the Indo-Pacific. He also called for greater trade relations with Taiwan, an island that China claims under its ‘One China policy. It is worth noting that both Trump and Biden have shown strong support for their Asian allies-Japan and Taiwan- even as Beijing continues to make military advances in the South China Sea. 

Image: AP