US election: Joe Biden vows to rebuild Australia alliance
Democrat frontrunner Joe Biden uses a fiery party debate to outline his presidential vision.
Democrat presidential frontrunner Joe Biden has pledged to “rebuild” the US alliance with Australia to combat a rising China, saying that under his presidency the US would remain the supreme Pacific power.
In his strongest comments yet on China, Mr Biden used the latest Democrat presidential debate to accuse Donald Trump of having “demolished” alliances in Asia despite the growing threat posed by Beijing.
“We should make sure that we rebuild our alliances which Trump has demolished with Japan, South Korea, Australia and Indonesia,” he said in Los Angeles on Friday. “We need to have allies who understand if we are going to stop the Chinese from their actions. We are not looking for war but we are a Pacific power and we are not going away.”
Mr Biden made the comments during an often fiery sixth debate between the seven leading Democrat presidential candidates, Mr Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar, Andrew Yang and Tom Steyer.
The debate saw a heated clash between Senator Warren and Mr Buttigieg over accepting money from wealthy donors.
Senator Warren accused the fast-rising Mr Buttigieg of taking money from wealthy donors, saying donors who drink $US900 bottles of wine should not be choosing the next US president.
The comment prompted a sharp rebuke from Mr Buttigieg, who accused Senator Warren of also taking money from wealthy donors. “This is the problem with issuing purity tests you yourself cannot pass,” he told her as the audience cheered.
Mr Buttigieg, a moderate who is closing the gap with Senator Warren in the polls, also attacked her big-spending, high-taxing liberal agenda. “We can be smart about the promises we’re making, make sure they’re promises that we can keep without the kind of taxation that economists tell us could hurt the economy,” he said.
Under questioning, Mr Biden, who is 76, refused to commit to serving a second term if was elected president. Recent reports say he has decided to serve only one term if elected.
“I’m not willing to commit one way or the other, I’ve not even been elected to one term yet so let’s see where we are,” he said.
The former vice-president also warned that the US was “dead as a country” unless Democrats could once again work with Republicans to get things done. He said if Mr Trump was defeated, it would remove pressure on senior Republicans to deal with a Democrat president.
“I refuse to accept this notion that we can never get to a place where we have co-operation again. If that is the case, we are dead as a country,” he said.
“We need to be able to reach consensus. If anyone has reason to be angry with the Republicans and not want to co-operate, it’s me when they attack me and my son and my family. I have no love, but the problem is we have to be able to get things done.”
All seven candidates strongly supported the house’s decision this week to impeach Mr Trump.
Mr Biden and Mr Buttigieg performed strongly, while Senator Klobuchar also gave her best debate so far.
Because the numbers were fewer than the previous 10 to 12 person debates, the seven candidates faced the most sustained questions so far.
Eight other candidates who are still running for the nomination failed to secure the higher level of support in opinion polls or donations that was required by the Democratic National Committee to qualify for the debate. Those who missed out include Cory Booker, Tulsi Gabbard, Julian Castro and billionaire Mike Bloomberg.
National polls show Mr Biden leading the field with 27.8 per cent support, followed by Senator Sanders on 19.3 per cent, Senator Warren on 15.2 per cent and Mr Buttigieg on 8.3 per cent.
In Iowa, the state that kicks of the Democratic primaries on February 3, Mr Buttigieg is leading with 22 per cent followed by Senator Sanders on 20 per cent, Mr Biden on 18.8 per cent and Senator Warren on 16 per cent.
Cameron Stewart is also US contributor for Sky News Australia
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