IEA Communications Officer Harrison Griffiths has written in The Daily Express discussing American diplomatic and trade policy in the aftermath of U.S. President Joe Biden’s bilateral meeting with Chinese dictator Xi Jinping.

Disputing Biden’s suggestion that a second Cold War may be avoidable, Harrison wrote:

“the world has begun to see the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for what it really is, with their genocide of Uyghur Muslims and the extent of their desire to conquer Taiwan revealed to a world which had been all too willing to turn a blind eye for a quick buck.”

Harrison suggested that Biden should take a ‘carrot and stick’ approach to Xi by offering trade liberalisation while resolutely defending Taiwan:

“Taiwan is not only strategically vital but also a liberal democratic nation standing against the spectre of domination from its aggressive, authoritarian neighbour. Biden leaving it vulnerable to Chinese domination would be a betrayal of our values and send a message to the international community that America is closed for business when it comes to tackling the world’s evil empires.

“Biden also has a diplomatic carrot to offer Xi in the form of US trade. As mentioned, Chinese consumer confidence and sales growth have declined since the start of the pandemic. Removing Trump’s tariffs on Chinese products like steel piping, cars, and washing machines would broaden Chinese producers’ shrinking consumer base.”

You can read Harrison’s full article here.