Bidenman Blincoln “Trump’s hard-line in China was right”

Appointed US Secretary of State Anthony Blincoln, 58, a key minister of the US administration, Joe Biden, who will be launched on the 20th (local time), announced that the Donald Trump administration will continue its hard-line policy toward China. Regarding the solution to the North Korean nuclear issue, it plans to review the overall approach and policies so far, and said that it would consider humanitarian assistance.

On the 19th, the nominee Blincoln attended a confirmation hearing held by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and announced his position on the North Korean nuclear issue and diplomatic issues facing the United States such as China and Iran.
One member of the lawmaker asked a question about the North Korean nuclear issue at the four-hour hearing. Senator Edward Maki (Democratic Party, Massachusetts) said, “With the goal of ultimate denuclearization, North Korea has attempted a’phased agreement’ attempt to provide customized sanctions relief against North Korea in exchange for freezing its nuclear weapons program to a verifiable level. Will you support it?”

Nominee Blincoln replied, “We need to reexamine our approach to North Korea and its policies in general, and we intend to do so.” For that reason, he explained, “This was a difficult problem that plagued all previous administrations, and it didn’t get better, and actually got worse.” “I want to start from acknowledging that (North Korea’s nuclear weapons) is a difficult problem,” he said.

“We will start by consulting with alliances, especially Korea and Japan, and reviewing all biddings,” he said. However, it did not mention the specific direction of the Biden administration’s policy toward North Korea.

Rep. Maki then asked, “Do you support a plan to lift some sanctions so that legal humanitarian aid can reach North Koreans when the borders of North Korea open as a pandemic is opened?” “Whatever we do (related to North Korea), we will pay attention not only to the security aspect, but also to the humanitarian aspect,” Blincoln said. He added that when dealing with North Korea as well as any country, it is necessary to watch out for damage to the local residents.

“I have strong dissatisfaction with the system and the regime, and no matter what actions you take, we must do our best to avoid harm to the people there,” said Blincoln. “Even when the past government was involved in the North Korean nuclear issue, humanitarian aid and medical care The aid was to reach the North Korean people,” he explained.
At the hearing that lasted for a total of 240 minutes, the Q&A related to North Korea was about 2 minutes and 50 seconds.

The’main menu’ of the hearing on that day was China and Iran. Lawmakers repeatedly asked and confirmed Blincoln’s view of diplomacy with China. From biden’s anticipation of a tough response to China throughout the campaign, Blincoln even said that “President Trump was right.” It was announced that the Chinese policy is an exception to the’Erase Trump’.

“I believe it was right for President Trump to take a harder approach to China,” Blincoln said. However, he said, “I disagree very much with the way President Trump does things in many ways,” he said. “The basic principle was correct, and I think it actually helps US foreign policy.”

“There was widespread consensus that economic liberalization in China would lead to political liberalization, but that did not happen,” he said. He admitted that the optimistic outlook for China by former regimes, including the administration of Barack Obama, who served as Deputy Secretary of State, was wrong.

It also agreed with President Trump’s continued assertion of responsibility for the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19) in China. On the same day, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also actively agreed that China’s suppression of the Uyghurs, a minority ethnic group in Xinjiang, was defined as genocide.

He also expressed his support for military and diplomatic support to Taiwan, which the Trump administration has actively supported. In addition, it recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and agreed to the Abrahamic Agreement, which established formal diplomatic relations with Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by Israel through arbitration by the Trump administration.

The issue that Blincoln’s disagreement with Republican lawmakers was a plan to restore the Iranian nuclear agreement (JCPOA) withdrawn by the Trump administration. However, it ended with a promise to cooperate closely with Congress instead of clashing with Republican lawmakers.

The atmosphere of the hearing was mild throughout the hearing, as Blincoln’s nominee formed broad consensus with Republican lawmakers. Although Blincoln’s former director of the Foreign Relations Committee, he warmly welcomed his “old colleague”, but this is interpreted as the decision to continue after acknowledging much of the Trump administration’s foreign policy.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) interpreted this as a scene suggesting that the Biden administration and the Democratic and Republicans of Congress will show unity in foreign policy over the next four years.

‘Prepared Secretary of State’ Blingen ended the hearing with support from both parties. Senator Lindsey Graham (Republican, South Carolina), President Trump’s closest close, said he would vote for approval, calling Blincoln “an excellent choice.” Senator Bob Menendez (New Jersey), a Democratic Party secretary, said, “I have a strong feeling that the Secretary of State will come out.”

The Senate vote on the Blincoln nominee is expected to take place as early as the 25th, and bipartisan support is expected, the Washington Post said. On that day, Evan Ryan (50), the wife of Blincoln’s nominee, watched her husband’s testimony at the hearing.

Washington = Correspondent Park Hyun-young [email protected]