Emma Leeds Armstrong for People's Daily

Kerry to “Rebalance” American Foreign Policy?

By Emma Leeds Armstrong in Baltimore (People’s Daily)

American Secretary of State John Kerry shakes

 hands with Chinese president Xi Jinping in 2013

John Kerry, the successor to Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, has acted as chief diplomat of the United States for just over a year. One year into his term, it seems that Kerry will continue to promote cooperation, not competition, with China. However, Iranian nuclear negotiations, Israeli-Palestinian issues, and the Syrian civil war have occupied the majority of his tenure. So the question remains, how, if at all, will John Kerry handle China?

During his time in Congress, Kerry supported bills favorable to American trade relations with China. He emphasized cultivating the relationship between the two nations. He said, "I don’t think that we're here to rupture [the Chinese-American] relationship. I think we're here to send a message to the Chinese about the urgent need to repair it." While many American politicians sought to contend with China for economic power, Kerry emphasized collaboration. In reference to a bill that taxed Chinese imports, Kerry said, "Economics is not war. We can both come out well ahead of where we are now.”

As Secretary of State, Kerry has not displayed the same ideological issues with China as Hillary Clinton did, who had criticized China both for its lack of Internet freedom and women’s rights and cultivated friendships with other East Asian nations. In addition, he has questioned the usefulness of the Obama administration’s proposed “pivot to Asia.” This “pivot” would step up American power in Asia, specifically China. Kerry’s approach to China has appeared far gentler than that of his predecessor and the administration that he represents.

Kerry has expressed a desire to collaborate with China, not confront it. During his confirmation hearings, he said of the “pivot”, "You know, the Chinese take a look at that and say, what’s the United States doing? They trying to circle us? What’s going on?" The Chinese government has generally viewed the “pivot” as antagonistic. The addition of American military bases in neighboring countries Japan, South Korea, Australia and the Philippines has furthered the feeling that there may be tension between the U.S. and China. In reference to this “rebalancing”, Kerry said, “I am not convinced that the United States needs to increase its military presence in the Asia-Pacific.” He did add, however, that he did not wish to decrease the military presence there either. This stand would certainly change the American “rebalancing” policy that seems a defensive method to retain American influence and contain Chinese influence.

The United States has many reasons to maintain a good relationship with China, most of which are financial. Kerry may be the perfect person to maintain such a relationship and to rectify the harshness that Clinton displayed towards China during her tenure as Secretary of State. His moving away from the “pivot” and “rebalancing” may salvage the often tenuous Chinese-American relationship, and may even improve ties between the nations.