Former candidate Joe Biden once said, “As President, I will not enter into any new trade agreements until we have invested in Americans and equipped them to succeed in the global economy.” 

While we agree that ensuring American businesses and workers can succeed in the global economy should be a priority, putting trade engagement on the backburner to focus solely on a damaging domestic agenda undermines our ability to strengthen U.S. competitiveness around the world.  President Biden’s administration has established a moratorium on trade deals, failed to renew vital trade programs, and kept Congress in the dark on their feeble trade strategy. Meanwhile, Democrats continue to push their costly domestic agenda through Congress in a blur of chaos, disarray, and distraction while supply chains falter and inflation grows.  

U.S. economic challenges and trade silence mean one thing to China: opportunity. Over the past year, China has maneuvered to establish itself as a superior trade and economic leader on the global stage and most importantly, in the Indo-Pacific region. Comprised of many nations and partners, the Indo-Pacific is home to dynamic economies, crucial supply chains, and critical manufacturing and defense hubs. It represents one of the fastest growing regions in the world. 

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