Joe Biden’s Asia pick Kurt Campbell is good news for us
Incoming president Joe Biden is poised to appoint foreign policy veteran Kurt Campbell as his ‘Asia Tsar’.
Incoming president Joe Biden is poised to appoint foreign policy veteran Kurt Campbell as his “Asia Tsar”, a sign the Democratic administration will maintain Donald Trump’s tough line on China and remain a close ally of Australia.
Dr Campbell, who was the top state department official for Asia during the Obama administration, will have the title “Indo-Pacific co-ordinator”, giving him top standing in the powerful US National Security Council for US foreign policy for Asia and China.
Julie Bishop, a former foreign minister and now Chancellor of Australian National University, said the appointment was “excellent”. “He is a very close friend of Australia, will be an outstanding representative for the US, and it’s yet another indication the Biden administration will be a strong and relatable partner for us.”
Kim Beazley, governor of Western Australia and former ambassador to the US, told The Australian the appointment was “comforting and reassuring”.
“One of Australia’s greatest friends is coming into a position where he is overseeing the future evolution of US policy in our region,” he said. “This is a man who routinely consults with his Australian friends and their views.”
The pending announcement has been well received by Asia experts in Washington who hope the Biden administration will take a more competitive approach to China than the Obama administration did.
“Kurt is the most important architect of Asia policy in the Democratic Party of his generation,” Michael Green, a Republican foreign policy expert who served as the top Asia adviser to George W Bush, told London’s The Financial Times.
“He led the so-called ‘pivot’ to Asia in the Obama administration, which was largely about pushing back against Chinese coercion,” Mr Green added.
Dr Campbell outlined his approach to Asia in a 2016 book The Pivot which advocated strengthening existing alliances and building closer relations with states such as India and Indonesia in the face of a rising China.
“I can confirm Kurt will be co-ordinator for the Indo-Pacific at the NSC,” a Biden transition spokeswoman said on Wednesday, referring to the White House National Security Council.
Since leaving service in the US government, Dr Campbell, 63, has run the Asia Group consultancy and advised Mr Biden’s 2020 campaign. He is also co-founder of the Centre for a New American Security think tank.
He endorsed some of the tougher approaches to China by the Trump administration.
Dr Campbell was made an Honorary Officer of the Order of Australia in 2014 and is an Honorary Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Additional reporting: agencies
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