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[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] Nick Burns, the nominee for U.S. Ambassador to China, expressed confidence that the United States can lead in competition with China. He presented the outlook that the U.S., with its alliances, cannot fall behind China, citing South Korea as an example.

Nick Burns, U.S. Ambassador Nominee to South Korea
Photo by Reuters

According to The New York Times, on the 20th (local time), Burns appeared at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing and stated his position on diplomacy toward China.

In his opening remarks, Burns assessed, "China is the greatest threat to our security and the democratic world," but also said, "The United States should not overestimate China's power." He added, "Beijing declares that the East is rising and the West is declining, but I have confidence in our country. Together with our allies, we will prove them wrong."

He explained, "China has no true allies. We have Canada, Europe, and 29 NATO allies, as well as several allies in the Indo-Pacific region including Japan, South Korea, Australia, the Philippines, and Thailand. We have the comparative advantage."

Burns also evaluated, "China is not an Olympic powerhouse. The country has special strengths, but it faces significant demographic, economic, and political weaknesses and challenges."

Burns opposed an explicit promise that the U.S. would defend Taiwan if China attacks.

He suggested, "The most important thing the U.S. can do is deepen security cooperation and expand arms supplies to Taiwan to prevent its collapse."

He also said, "The most important thing is to maintain the U.S. military presence in Japan and South Korea," implying that U.S. forces stationed in South Korea and Japan could play a role in U.S. efforts to check China on the Taiwan issue.

The U.S. online media Axios reported that the Taiwan issue was the most prominent topic during the hearing. Bloomberg News evaluated that Burns took a tough stance on China.

Burns proposed that the U.S. and China should cooperate and compete depending on the issue. Cooperation targets include COVID-19, climate change, and North Korea denuclearization, while in the Indo-Pacific region, he argued that balance must be maintained through competition with China.

He also emphasized the importance of direct communication between the two countries, saying, "The U.S. must not suffer from sleepwalking in its conflict with China."

The New York Times predicted that Burns would likely be confirmed smoothly as he enjoys bipartisan support from both U.S. political parties.

China has also positively evaluated Burns, noting that unlike diplomats from the Trump administration, he is not extreme or rigid.

It is expected that once Burns assumes his post in China, a full-scale diplomatic tug-of-war between the Biden administration and China will begin.

Meanwhile, Ram Emanuel, the nominee for U.S. Ambassador to Japan, emphasized the need to restore relations during his confirmation hearing on the same day, stating that the 20th-century discord between South Korea and Japan should not take away 21st-century opportunities, and pledged to play a role in helping the two countries focus on the future.