Journal of Political Risk, Vol. 12, No. 11, November 2024
By Yan Bennett
Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead, public domain
Dear President-elect Trump,
Congratulations on your recent victory. The American people have reaffirmed your leadership, granting you a renewed mandate to continue advancing the policies that prioritize the security, prosperity, and strength of our nation. This victory represents an endorsement of your commitment to putting America first and underscores the opportunity to build on the significant strides made during your first administration.
As stated in your first National Security Strategy (NSS), your administration laid out “a strategic vision for protecting the American people and preserving our way of life, promoting our prosperity, preserving peace through strength, and advancing American influence in the world” (NSS, 2017 ii). The American people have placed their confidence in your ability to navigate these immense challenges with steady strength and assertiveness.
Among the many pressing issues facing our country, China remains one of our greatest foreign policy challenges. China’s continued economic coercion and global influence campaigns demand a robust, strategic response that preserves American leadership, protects our economic interests, and safeguards the qualities that make America great. It is now time for the United States to come together and unite against our strategic competitors – especially against one that takes a century-long view of success.
Your first term reflects a policy framework that significantly recalibrated America’s approach to China by confronting China economically, promoting American business interests, and asserting technological leadership. Notably, the Biden administration’s China policy did not stray far, if at all, from the policy guidelines articulated by your administration, attesting to the strengths of your China policy. Now is the time to build on that foundation and further advance these policies. America must redouble efforts in strategies that enhance American security, protect our technological edge, and ensure a fair and reciprocal economic relationship. Your second administration can lead a coalition of free and sovereign nations committed to countering coercive and revisionist behaviors, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region, as articulated in your 2017 National Security Strategy (NSS, 2017 3-4, 45-47). Under your continued leadership, the United States has the singular opportunity to protect those values that undergird a fair and transparent global order that benefits all who cherish freedom (NSS, 2017 41).
In order to successfully counter China, your administration should continue your strategy of peace through strength by fostering a global order that upholds free markets, democracy, and sovereignty while countering coercive behaviors by revisionist powers to protect a network of “strong, sovereign, and independent nations, each with its own cultures and dreams, thriving side-by-side in prosperity, freedom, and peace” (NSS, 2017 25, ii). This approach will strengthen the United States, modernize our capabilities, and ensure economic, military and diplomatic advantages while safeguarding American interests, American companies and the American people. This approach is built upon several pillars that require your continued leadership.
Pillar One: Modernize Military Capabilities. As emphasized in the 2017 NSS, 2018 National Defense Strategy (NDS), and 2019 Indo-Pacific Strategy Report (IPSR), the U.S. military must remain the most capable force, particularly in the Indo-Pacific (NSS, 2017, 28; NDS, 2018 4-7); IPSR, 2019 16). This requires modernizing key capabilities – such as space, cyber, and missile defense systems – to counter China’s advancements in new battle spaces such as cyber and space where China aims to leverage technological advances to thwart our traditional military capabilities (NDS, 2018 2). Enhanced military readiness, alongside strengthened alliances, will deter aggression and protect U.S. interests (NDS, 2019 8-9, 16).
Pillar Two: Prioritize the Indo-Pacific. To confront China’s regional ambitions, the U.S. should deepen cooperation with allies through joint exercises, intelligence-sharing, and expanded base access. NATO and like-minded democracies have expressed shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, presenting an opportunity for unified action (ISPR, 2019 16, 21-51).
With regard to potential flashpoints, Taiwan must do its part. The United States and China adhere to a “One China” policy, which has always affirmed the principle of peaceful reunification. It is not the business of the United States to support Taiwanese independence or not; the One China policy speaks for itself. In accordance with the One-China policy and obligations under the Taiwan Relations Act, Taiwan must bolster its defenses to deter forcible reunification. Increased Taiwanese military spending, infrastructure hardening, and self-reliance are critical to maintaining peace and reducing the likelihood of U.S. involvement in conflict. Taiwan must become, literally, indigestible to China, making the cost of landing unacceptably high, and the cost of occupation even higher.
Pillar Three: Strengthen Economic Leverage. The U.S. must lead a coalition to counter China’s predatory economic practices, including forced technology transfers and state subsidies. By demanding compliance with WTO standards, promoting new trade agreements, and diversifying supply chains, America can reduce dependence on Chinese goods and increase global economic resilience. American leadership in trade and innovation also challenges China’s state-driven model. Expanding free-market principles, fostering partnerships, and supporting American businesses will enhance competitiveness while showcasing the superiority of an open, rules-based economic system.
Pillar Four: Share the Burden of Global Leadership. Your encouraging allies to share the financial and operational burdens of defending the free world have yielded results, particularly among NATO and EU members. More specifically, this approach has strengthened collective security while alleviating the disproportionate costs borne by the U.S. Republican leadership’s focus on China. U.S. emphasis on exposing China’s egregious labor and human rights violations may have even led EU member states to protest Chinese policy in Xinjiang, ultimately disrupting the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI), which stalled under your administration. Continued U.S. leadership can further align and reinforce our allies’ approaches to China.
Pillar Five: Invest in Technology and Innovation. You clearly stated in the 2017 NSS that America must renew its competitive advantages through technology innovation and investment to increase U.S. national security (26). It outlines a strategy of increased investments in research and development for critical technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, biotechnology, and advanced energy technologies. Strengthening public-private partnerships and incentivizing supply chain diversification will also secure digital and physical infrastructure against vulnerabilities while boosting domestic manufacturing. The 2018 Better Utilization of Investments Leading to Development (BUILD Act) that you signed into law expanded public-private partnerships that help with such investments in innovation and technology. Renewed focus on innovation will protect American security, drive economic growth, and outpace China’s state-backed advancements.
Pillar Six: Energy Independence and Resilience. Energy independence is vital for national security and economic resilience. By leading in energy innovation, the U.S. can reduce reliance on Chinese-controlled supply chains and counter coercion. Advanced energy technologies, such as nuclear energy and geothermal innovation, provide opportunities for American businesses to compete globally. Modernizing America’s energy infrastructure is essential to support economic growth and national security. The aging electrical grid, built in the mid-20th century, requires updates to meet 21st-century demands. By reducing bureaucratic barriers, as you emphasized in the 2019 State of the Union, the U.S. can create a resilient energy backbone that supports recovery and growth.
Revitalizing the civilian nuclear energy program is another critical step. China’s expansion of nuclear projects abroad poses both a security risk and economic challenge. Legislation like the Nuclear Energy Innovation and Modernization Act (NEIMA) of 2019 and the Energy Act of 2020 under your previous administration demonstrates how reducing regulatory barriers can modernize our energy backbone and enable American companies to compete globally.
Your administration’s diversification strategies, including Executive Order 13817 on critical minerals and directives to advance geothermal energy research, exemplify foresight in securing energy resources. Continuing these efforts will bolster American companies, strengthen economic resilience, and enhance national security while at the same time reducing costs for Americans.
In conclusion, your strategy of robust defense, strengthened alliances, economic innovation, and principled diplomacy provides a roadmap for continued success. By leading with strength, the United States can preserve a global order rooted in freedom, prosperity, and security for all. Under your leadership, America can confront China’s challenges, inspire unity among allies, and secure a future of peace and progress. Again, congratulations on your recent win. Our fellow Americans and I are eager to see a robust strategy to counter China, one that delivers tangible benefits to the American people.
References:
Department of Defense. “Indo-Pacific Strategy Report.” June 1, 2019. https://media.defense.gov/2019/jul/01/2002152311/-1/-1/1/department-of-defense-indo-pacific-strategy-report-2019.pdf.
Department of Defense. “National Defense Strategy.” 2018. https://www.hsdl.org/c/2018-national-defense-strategy/
Trump, Donald J. “National Security Strategy.” White House, December 2017. https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/NSS-Final-12-18-2017-0905.pdf.
Trump, Donald J. “State of the Union Address.” January 31, 2018. https://millercenter.org/the-presidency/presidential-speeches/january-30-2018-state-union-address.
Dr. Yan Chang Bennett is an expert in foreign policy, international law, and U.S.-China relations, drawing upon her Foreign Service experience and scholarship. She is a professorial lecturer in international affairs at George Washington University and American University. Her current book, American Policy Discourses on China, is out now.