Biden and South East Asia (Asialink Nov 24, 2020

Three weeks after the election, there is plenty of evidence that Biden and the emerging Democrat foreign policy team -in-waiting appreciate the strategic challenges facing President Elect Biden both in Europe and the Indo-Pacific.

They have stressed rehabilitation of the multilateral system, the strengthening traditional alliances and determination to stand up to both Russia and China.

Biden demonstrated his bona fides by early calls to key allies in Europe and the following day to leaders in Japan , South Korea and Australia . In his talk with Japanese Prime Minister Suga, he reaffirmed that the United States alliance commitment covered the disputed Senkaku islands-a crucial Japanese concern.

But the new administration will…