US Presidential Election: Debate a Strategy for Protecting World Order

Published in The Sankei News
(Japan) on 20 August 2020
by (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Eric Stimson. Edited by Daniel Rosen.
Ahead of the U.S. presidential election on Nov. 3, the Democratic Party has formally nominated former Vice President Joe Biden as its presidential nominee.

President Donald Trump awaits the Republican National Convention, which starts on Aug. 24, where he will criticize the promises Biden has made. The election is less than 80 days away and the campaign is entering its decisive phase.

Thanks to the rise of authoritarianism backed by China and Russia, and, in particular, the political repression that recently occurred in Hong Kong, freedom and democracy face a direct crisis.

In the midst of this, the sense of leadership from America is debatable. As it is now uncertain if it will be the country that leads the world against COVID-19 and through the aftermath of the pandemic, we would like to draw attention to America’s choice.

We would like to ask Biden, who has become the official nominee, about his basic position regarding China, which expands America's pursuit of hegemony, and whether he is determined to take steps to counter that in solidarity with allied and friendly countries.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo appealed for a new alliance structure of democracies to contest autocracy, citing the failure of President Barack Obama's administration to do so with China. This perception of reality and trends is correct.

Biden has responded to the viciously anti-China climate by taking a tough line, but he cannot evade responsibility for the previous administration allowing China to construct artificial islands in the South China Sea. It has also been pointed out that the Democrats have a half-hearted policy regarding Taiwan, which is battling pressure to reunify with the mainland.

Biden has also said we must not “[fall] into the trap of a new Cold War.” He must clearly articulate his strategy against China.

Trump is reportedly letting Biden take the lead with regard to popularity.

The reason is clear. Trump's policies toward the new coronavirus have caused more infection and death in America than anywhere else in the world. From the beginning, the response has been inconsistent, and expert advice was not seriously considered. Trump must suppress the spread of infection to regain support.

Trump has taken a stridently anti-China posture, but he also keeps slighting allied and friendly countries. It is troubling that he is so wrapped up in putting America first that he has forgotten America’s important role as leader of the democratic world.

Is America able to play a consistent guiding role in maintaining its military supremacy in the Asia-Pacific and building a net around China? We want both candidates to recognize that this will be the biggest issue in determining the trajectory of the post-pandemic world order and to embark on a realistic debate about it.


11月3日の米国大統領選に向けて、民主党はバイデン前副大統領を党候補に正式指名した。

 トランプ大統領はバイデン氏の公約を批判する演説を行い、24日から共和党大会に臨む。大統領選まで80日を切り、対決は本格化する。

 中国やロシアが推し進める権威主義の台頭、とりわけ昨今の香港における政治弾圧によって、自由と民主主義が危機に直面している。

 そうした中で米国には、民主主義陣営のリーダーとしての存在感が問われる。新型コロナウイルスとの戦いやコロナ後の世界を左右する米国の選択を注視したい。

 正式候補となったバイデン氏に問いたいのは、覇権拡大を追求する中国への基本姿勢と、同盟・友好国と一致して対中対抗策をとる覚悟である。

 ポンペオ国務長官は、オバマ前政権までの対中関与策は失敗したとして、「専制国家」との対決に民主主義国家の「新たな同盟」構築を訴えた。この現実認識と方向性は正しい。

 バイデン氏は厳しい対中世論を受けて強硬路線を唱えているが、前政権下で中国の南シナ海の人工島建設を許した責任は免れない。民主党は統一圧力と闘う台湾への消極的な態度も指摘される。

 「新冷戦のわなには陥らない」とも述べるバイデン氏には、対中戦略を旗幟(きし)鮮明に述べることが求められる。

 トランプ氏は、支持率でバイデン氏にリードを許していると伝えられる。

 要因ははっきりしている。感染者数・死者数ともに世界最多の状態が続く新型コロナウイルス対策である。初動を含めて対応に一貫性がなく、専門家の助言に真摯(しんし)に耳を傾ける姿勢がみられなかった。支持回復には感染拡大の抑制が不可欠である。

 トランプ氏は厳しい対中姿勢を打ち出しているが、その一方で、しばしば同盟・友好国軽視の顔もみせてきた。「米国第一」にこだわるあまり、民主主義陣営を主導すべき重要な役割を忘れてもらっては困る。

 アジア太平洋における軍事的優位性の堅持と対中包囲網の構築に米国が一貫した指導力を発揮できるか。このことがコロナ後の世界秩序の趨勢(すうせい)をも決める最大の争点であると認識して、両候補には現実的な論争に挑んでほしい。
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