In a speech at the George Washington University, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken noted that the Biden administration will approach its relations with China through the lens of a diplomatic and competitive strategy. 

In a U.S. Department of State news release detailing his speech, Blinken noted that the administration approaches China as a global power with the ability to wield influence over the region and become the leading power in the world. 

“As President Biden likes to say, the only conflict worse than an intended one is an unintended one. We’ll manage this relationship responsibly to prevent that from happening,” Blinken said, according to the news release. “We’ve prioritized crisis communications and risk reduction measures with Beijing. And on this issue – and every other – we remain committed to intense diplomacy alongside intense competition.”

However, Blinken noted in the speech according to the State Department release, that China's repressive policies and aggressive behavior around the globe can’t be dismissed, even as the country has ramped up wide-range surveillance and shared the technology it uses with a number of nations. Additionally, Beijing's repressive actions internally and aggression abroad cannot be ignored, especially as Beijing has perfected mass surveillance and has shared the technology with more than 80 countries. Despite this, Blinken noted in the release that the countries can work together when their interests align. 

“We can’t let the disagreements that divide us stop us from moving forward on the priorities that demand that we work together, for the good of our people and for the good of the world,” he said in the speech, according to the release. 

Blinken also noted in the speech, according to the State Department, that the administration will ensure that America forges strong alliances and develop ties with international institutions for innovation. He highlighted Biden’s recently unveiled Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF), which the State Department release noted will include a dozen nations that make up more than a third of the global economy.

Lastly, the State Department release noted that Blinken added in the speech that in addition to alignment and investment, the U.S. strategy will lean heavily on competition as the administration forges a path of independence as America becomes less reliant on China. The release also noted that the U.S. will demand reciprocity and Blinken concluded that “competition need not lead to conflict... but we will defend our interests against any threat.”