US President Joe Biden takes Shot at China, Russia…during State of the Union address, silent on Africa
By Amb. Anthony Mukwita
“Those who wish the United States ill should know “it’s never ever a good bet to bet against America,” President Joe Biden.
10th Feb. 2023
On 8th Feb. 2023, I watched US President Joe Biden hold his biggest annual political event in the nation’s capital, Washington DC live on TV attended by the ´who is who´ in the north American country and millions online.
As an international relations scholar and published author, the address was of great importance for me, especially as the ´war´ between China and Uncle Sam rages on.
The oldest President (Biden) in the history of America at 80 in 2023, of course did not miss an opportunity to take what some would call a ´cheap shot´ at arch-rival China, the rising dragon during his more than hour long speech, interrupted by several standing ovations, including heckling and booing from the opposition Republicans.
Russia was mentioned several times in the address watched by about 27 million people according to Reuters.
The State of the Nation address, the most followed ´traditional ceremony´ in America after the Super Bowl (watched by 99 million people in 2022) suddenly became a ´geopolitical´ battle ground.
The fact that it came a week after a Chinese ´spy balloon´ circled above American skies before it was gunned down only served to further ´gas light´ or heighten the tensions between Uncle Sam and the dragon in full view of world camera´s.
I read a report stating that, “amidst growing tension with China over a suspected spy balloon, US President Joe Biden said that the United States will act to protect itself if Beijing threatens its sovereignty.”
President Biden in a friendly but tough tone said, “I am committed to work with China where it can advance American interests and benefit the world.”
President Biden, however, added a warning, “but make no mistake: as we made clear last week (after shooting down the balloon), if China threatens our sovereignty, we will act to protect our country. And we did.”
The world watched the US down the suspected Chinese spy balloon over the Atlantic Ocean in February, drawing a “strong reaction from China.”
The US accused China of violating American sovereignty and international law according to media reports emanating from the balloon saga.
“Let’s be clear: winning the competition with China should unite all of us. We face serious challenges across the world. But in the past two years, democracies have become stronger, not weaker,” Joe Biden said.
President Biden, perhaps in veiled warning towards China the world at the Capitol and said, “those who wish the United States ill should know “it’s never ever a good bet to bet against America,”
On the war between the Federation of Russia and Ukraine that has been raging for over a year, President Biden said the United States and NATO, “is united in our support for your country Ukraine. We will stand with you as long as it takes.”
Biden shifted back to China again, the second largest global and military power during his address and said the following, playing mostly to the American gallery.
“Before I came to office, the story was about how the People’s Republic of China was increasing its power, and America was falling in the world. Not anymore,” said President Biden.
He revealed that he has “stressed to Chinese President Xi Jinping that the United States seeks competition with China, not conflict,” adding that, “I will make no apologies that we are investing to make America strong…Investing in American innovation, in industries that will define the future, and that China’s government is intent on dominating.”
The economic and geopolitical war between China and the US has in recent months seen an unprecedent escalation, even in our country Zambia that has been turned into a battle ground as both China and the Us thirsts for our minerals such as copper and cobalt.
One thing of special note though, as I watched the Biden address from the lens of an international relations expert and published author, I NEVER heard a mention of Afrika.
I heard Russia, Ukraine and Europe but no Africa, making me wonder whether, apart from the US Africa heads of states annual summit, does Africa matter.
My own conclusion is that with all its mineral wealth, youthful population and an over the top population of 1 billion people, Africa must rise to the plate, create wealth and hold its own State of the Union, the rest of the world can watch and marvel at.
The chronic poverty our continent suffers is mainly our own doing, but it’s nothing that cannot be turned around positively to our advantage.
China, the US and the European Union were poor once but through good leadership, resilience, they have advanced and lifted millions of their people out of poverty.
Back to Ukraine, official records show that US state spending on the war between Ukraine and Russia peaked at about US$50 billion in 2022 while another US$3 billion was approved in 2023.
That is more money than Zambia is seeking for debt relief and balance of payment support but then that’s a story for another day.
The Federation of Russia on the other hand had spent about US$82 billion on the war in Ukraine by February 2022, and rising with no solution to the end of the war yet.
Analysts, however, feel the world will soon lose appetite for the war in Ukraine as the bill of sustaining it spikes up.
Will the continued senseless war between Ukraine and Russia open a window for Africa to become a net grain grower among other things for instance?
After all there´s supposed to be a silver lining to every cloud.
The full transcript is here below:
http://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/08/us/politics/biden-state-of-the-union-transcript.html