When considering foreign policy issues in the presidential campaign, few seem to rival the war in Ukraine. Democrats consider that war a defining struggle for the future of democracy in the world. Many Republicans are skeptical, and former President Donald Trump has said he will make peace in Ukraine quickly if elected. But what of Asia?
In theory, this is an area of greater consensus across the deep partisan divide. President Biden inherited a rather hard-line “great power competition” strategy designed by the hawks in the Trump administration, such as Mike Pompeo and Matthew Pottinger.
The Biden administration has embraced most of this agenda and even accelerated military preparations to confront China in some respects. Mr. Biden has said on four occasions that he would defend the island of Taiwan. Republicans had seemingly been preparing to accuse Mr. Biden of not doing enough to defend Taiwan, neglecting it by favoring Ukraine’s defense needs. But in a series of July surprises, Mr. Trump cast serious doubt on a hypothetical future Trump administration’s commitment to defending the island.
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