- Biden Claims U.S. Will Militarily Support Taiwan | In a joint news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo this week, U.S. President Biden answered “yes” when asked if he “was willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan.” He later clarified that this statement was not a policy change, and the U.S. continues to support the “One China'' policy. Attendees were surprised at the president's remarks, with observers calling his statement contradictory to the U.S.’s historical stance on Taiwan. Others see Biden’s repeated “blunders” as a calculated move to bolster China’s deterrence.
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- U.S. Announces Indo-Pacific Economic Framework | On Monday, the U.S. announced the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, which some speculate is aimed at countering China’s economic influence in Asia. Partnering countries include Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Southeast Asian countries. The U.S. government clarified that this is not a security pact and differs from the Quad defense pact announced earlier in the week.
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- World Economic Forum Discuss China, Ukraine at Davos | At the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting this week in Davos, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for businesses to cut ties with Russia, and industry leaders discussed concerns over inflation, the global economy, and the impact of China’s Zero-Covid policy. Due to China’s strict quarantine restrictions, a much smaller delegation is participating in only a few of the discussions, raising concerns over China’s continued Covid policy and Beijing’s hardline on the pandemic.
Read the full report here.
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