Navigating the budget battleground: Biden's China strategy and political realities

Editor's note: Bradley Blankenship, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is a Prague-based American journalist, political analyst, and freelance reporter. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

U.S. President Joe Biden unveiled his 2025 budget proposal on March 11, marking a $400 billion increase compared to the previous fiscal year, totaling $6.9 trillion for 2024. Noteworthy boosts include defense spending, domestic expenditures, an allocation for the Department of Justice's anti-monopoly efforts, and a reinforced budget for the State Department, aimed at leveraging "all available tools" to compete with China, as noted by a senior agency official.

The State Department elaborated in its press release on the budget proposal that the funds will allow the agency to "invest, align, and compete with the People's Republic of China (PRC)," noting that China "is the United States' only competitor with both the intent to reshape the international order and, increasingly, the economic, diplomatic, military, and technological power to do so."

Specifically, the State Department outlined initiatives like the Countering PRC Influence Fund (CPIF) and the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI), designed to "curb problematic Chinese activities and offer alternative solutions." Furthermore, an additional $4 billion over five years is earmarked to bolster investments in the Indo-Pacific region and international infrastructure to enhance competitiveness vis-a-vis China.

Additionally, the Department of Commerce pointed out that the 2025 budget proposal would provide $223 million to the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). The agency cited "China's continued efforts at illicit technology transfer to enable its military-civil fusion" as a major threat, which requires more federal funding to combat.

This budget announcement closely follows President Biden's recent State of the Union address, hailed as one of the most politically charged in history, especially given the upcoming presidential election, which will pit him against his predecessor, Donald Trump, once more.

Near the end of his speech, Biden brought up China. He said that he would "stand up" against China's "unfair economic practices." He vowed to maintain stability in the Taiwan Straits, though he said that he seeks competition rather than conflict with China. However, it is clear, based on this administration's spending priorities, and a continual lack of evidence that China is engaging in the sorts of practices described by various departments, that the 2025 fiscal budget proposal would strain relations between the two sides further if passed as-is.

Realistically, however, passage of the budget in its current form is improbable, given the deeply entrenched political divisions in the United States. The Biden administration's struggle to secure approval for the 2024 fiscal budget due to Republican opposition in the House of Representatives underscores this challenge. Congress was only able to narrowly avoid yet another government shutdown scare last Friday after a stopgap spending bill was passed, the last in a series of several that have kept kicking the can down the road. In an election year, Republicans are inclined to obstruct Democratic initiatives to bolster their own political standing.

It is without a doubt that none of Biden's major domestic initiatives aimed at bolstering working families and taxing the wealthy and corporations will pass. Nevertheless, on matters concerning China, bipartisan consensus is more attainable. Recent legislative actions, such as the CHIPS and Science Act and the America COMPETES Act, reflect a united front against China's rising influence. Both major political parties are expected to vie for the mantle of toughness on China, echoing the competitive rhetoric witnessed in previous elections.

In his State of the Union, Biden accused his predecessor of not doing enough on the China issue during his tenure. Doubtless, both candidates are going to pay a lot of lip service to Beijing during the general election run-up. And part of this is that both candidates will try to out-do each other on who is taking a stronger stance against China, much like Trump tried to do during the 2020 campaign. 

While nuances may exist regarding the extent of confrontation with China, the consensus among U.S. political factions remains steadfast on the imperative of countering China's influence and protecting American interests. This alignment extends across ideological spectrums, with progressives, libertarians and others advocating for trade protectionism and a robust stance against China. 

The focus on China often serves as a convenient scapegoat for both political parties, masking deeper frustrations stemming from America's waning global influence and the partisan gridlock hindering legislative progress. 

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