U.S. Enlists Allies to Counter China’s Technology Push
President Biden portrays U.S. relations with China as a clash of values: democracy vs. autocracy.
But his rhetoric obscures the administration’s more pragmatic approach of cobbling together groups of countries to work jointly on technology. The goal is to stay ahead of China in semiconductors, artificial intelligence and other advances that are expected to define the economy and military of the future.
Preliminary conversations with U.S. allies have begun, though the effort is expected to take months, said senior administration officials.
The strategy has both offensive and defensive components. By combining efforts, the U.S. and its allies can vastly outspend China, whose research-and-development budget now nearly matches the U.S. The alliances can also coordinate policies to deny China the technologies it needs to try to become a global leader.
“We have a very strong interest in making sure that the techno-democracies come together more effectively so we are the ones who are doing the shaping of those norms and rules,” said Secretary of State Antony Blinken at his confirmation hearing.
Gloss