[Opinion] Biden's Diplomacy: Gardener or Landscape Architect?

On January 20, Joe Biden will be inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States. However, the U.S., which should be in a festive mood, is in turmoil. Pro-Trump protesters stormed the U.S. Capitol, and the House of Representatives passed an impeachment resolution against President Trump on charges of inciting insurrection. Observing the severe chaos within the U.S., concerns about Biden's four-year term remain. While reading Joseph Nye, Harvard University Emeritus Professor’s book "Is Morality Important?", I asked myself five questions related to Biden's foreign policy.

First, what vision and leadership will Biden's foreign policy demonstrate? Wilson had a clear vision of international peace but failed to realize it practically. Roosevelt had no clear vision but overcame the Great Depression and won World War II, elevating the U.S. to a superpower. Kennedy, Reagan, and Obama secured domestic and international support to formulate foreign policies, but Nixon and Trump approached it solely from domestic logic. It is still uncertain, but Biden seems likely to be mindful of both domestic and international public opinion.

Second, can Biden's America return? Can it return to the international order before Trump? Is it truly returning? Perhaps the accurate expression is that Biden "wants to return." However, it does not seem easy for the U.S. to do so alone. Ultimately, the gaps will need to be filled through alliances and multilateralism.

Third, is Biden's foreign policy that of a gardener or a landscaper? During Reagan's era, Secretary of State George Shultz likened foreign policy to gardening. Is Biden a gardener who manages the reality of the international community as it is? Or is he a landscaper who (re)designs the structure of the garden through global governance and mechanism innovation? Considering technological advances, COVID-19, and U.S.-China competition, a role beyond that of a gardener is necessary, but Biden will likely be closer to a gardener due to domestic issues demanding his attention.

Fourth, is Biden's foreign policy truly Biden’s, or is it "Barump" (Biden + Trump)? Biden criticizes Trump’s "America First" policy for harming U.S. national interests and collapsing global leadership. Biden pledges to rebuild human rights and the liberal international order. However, populism in U.S. foreign policy did not begin with Trump. In the 1920s and 1930s, 15 million overseas immigrants caused extreme anxiety among Americans at the time. Consequently, immigration restriction laws were enacted, and the far-right KKK thrived. Similarly, Trump’s election was the result of accumulated racial, ideological, and cultural divisions since the 1960s. Therefore, it seems inevitable that the "America First" and anti-immigration sentiments of the 70 million votes supporting Trump will be reflected in some way in foreign policy.

Finally, is "Goodman" Biden also a good man for Korea? A person with good character is not necessarily a good leader. In fact, Trump had many personal flaws and very selfish intentions, but during the past four years, he brought changes on the Korean Peninsula. It is still difficult to predict what impact Biden, a good father, parliamentarian, and seasoned diplomat, will have on the Korean Peninsula as he pledges to unite the democratic camp and strengthen alliances. However, as Professor Nye points out, history shows that good intentions do not always lead to good outcomes, highlighting that the Korean Peninsula has clearly entered another era of uncertainty.

Hwang Jae-ho, Professor, Department of International Studies, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies