Biden Mentions the Word 'Alliance' Eight Times in UN General Assembly Speech

Prioritizing Indo-Pacific Seemingly Aimed at China... Emphasizing Alliance Cohesion
Tensions Persist with Ally France

[Asia Economy International Desk Reporter] U.S. President Joe Biden mentioned the word 'alliance' eight times in his first speech at the United Nations General Assembly since taking office, emphasizing cooperation with allies.

In his first UN General Assembly speech on the 21st (local time), President Biden opened by saying, "As we end an era of relentless war, we are opening a new era of relentless diplomacy," and emphasized, "Focusing on regions like the Indo-Pacific, which are the most critical today and in the future, we will do so with our allies and partners."

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Although President Biden did not directly mention China in his speech, he identified the Indo-Pacific region, which includes China, as the top priority and emphasized the legitimacy of ending the war in Afghanistan to focus on this.

He stated that the U.S. is not seeking a new Cold War but made it clear that it has no intention of slowing down or lowering the intensity in competition with China, saying, "The United States will compete fiercely and lead with our values and strength." He added, "We will lead the response to the greatest challenges of our time, including COVID-19, climate, peace and stability, human dignity, and human rights," and "But we will not do it alone. We will lead with our allies."

In the context of France's fierce backlash against the U.S. decision to support Australia with nuclear-powered submarine technology, which has raised doubts about the U.S.'s alliance-focused stance, President Biden's reaffirmation of the policy to check China through unity with allies is interpreted as a direct message.

In his speech, President Biden stated that if necessary, the U.S. would continue to defend itself and its allies with military force but made it clear that the purpose is to protect America's core national interests. He said, "U.S. military power should be the last, not the first, resort and should not be used as a solution to every problem worldwide." This means the U.S. military will not be deployed to resolve conflicts and disputes everywhere.

However, it remains uncertain how much President Biden's message of 'alliance unity' can persuade and reassure allies.

President Biden differentiated himself from former President Trump, who pursued unilateral 'America First' policies, with the slogan 'America is back,' but doubts have grown that the U.S. pushed its policies without sufficient consultation with allies during the Afghanistan withdrawal and the process of supporting Australia's nuclear submarine technology.

The tension between the long-standing allies, the U.S. and France, continues. The White House only said that a phone call between President Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron would take place soon, and when French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian was asked by reporters about a possible meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, he said, "We might see each other here and there, but I myself have no intention of meeting."