Campbell appointed as US Deputy Secretary of State, US media: advocating competition with China rather than confrontation

Global Times comprehensive report: On the 6th local time, the United States Senate voted with a majority in favor to confirm Kurt Campbell, the Coordinator for Indo Pacific Affairs of the National Security Council, as the Executive Deputy Secretary of State. The Associated Press believes that this highlights the efforts made by Biden and his predecessors in the past few decades to shift the focus of foreign policy towards China. However, some American experts have also told Global Times reporters that as we enter an election year, the appointment of Campbell may not necessarily have a significant impact on the Biden administration's foreign policy.
Last November, Campbell was officially nominated as Deputy Secretary of State to replace Sherman who stepped down in July. According to American media reports, Campbell served as Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs during the Obama administration, committed to promoting the United States' return to Asia. After Biden took office, Campbell was immediately appointed as the Coordinator for Indo Pacific Affairs. According to the Associated Press, Campbell is a key figure in Biden's efforts to revive US diplomatic relations with Japan, Australia, and India. In addition, he also played an important role in establishing the trilateral alliance "Okus" between the United States, Britain, and Australia. According to American media, in terms of relations with China, Campbell emphasized that the essence of the US China relationship is a "competitive relationship", but does not seek conflict or confrontation.
The Financial Times reported that becoming the Executive Deputy Secretary of State would mean that Campbell's responsibilities would be broader than those in the Indo Pacific region. According to insiders, the White House will not appoint a new Indo Pacific Affairs Coordinator. Some American allies are concerned that the White House's focus on China may be weakened. Sun Yun, the director of the China program at the Stimson Center, a US think tank, previously told the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong that Campbell's nomination as the second person in the US State Department proves the importance of the Indo Pacific region and China in Biden's foreign policy.
On the 7th, Lu Xiang, an expert on American issues at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told Global Times reporters that as the current government enters its final year, Biden is unlikely to achieve any more constructive results and will not have such a significant impact on Campbell's appointment. Lv Xiang believes that as the coordinator of Indo Pacific affairs, Campbell's work in the past three years has not achieved substantial results. Recently, multiple foreign media have reported that negotiations related to the Indo Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) led by the United States have reached a deadlock. The Chinese version of the Nihon Keizai Shimbun even said frankly: "The Indo Pacific economic framework dominated by the United States is hanging." The Japanese media believed that IPEF aimed to build an economic order against China, but the dominant United States is becoming an obstacle. (Zhao Juehui)