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President Joe Biden once hoped his trip to Asia this week would strengthen American alliances, counter China’s influence and prove to Americans he’s got the stamina for another term in office.
But the trip he planned didn’t materialize. The standoff over raising the US debt ceiling, which could lead to a first-ever default if not resolved before next month, is proving more pressing.
While Biden is leaving Washington on Wednesday for Japan, he’s skipping the pre-planned second half of his trip, which included a stop in Australia and Papua New Guinea.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday in a statement that the US president spoke to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to inform him he will be “postponing” the trip and invited the prime minister for an official state visit “at a time to be agreed by the teams.” Albanese said later that a summit of the Quad leaders in Sydney next week had been canceled after Biden pulled out of the visit, but that talks could still proceed as leaders visit Japan. Jean-Pierre added that the “President’s team engaged” with the prime minister of Papua New Guinea.
The political stalemate over the borrowing limit doesn’t quite match the image of functional democracy Biden has sought to present to the world as he works to restore faith in America and counter the rise of authoritarian regimes.
A default on US obligations would further shake an already-unsteady global economy and, according to Biden’s aides, cause irreparable reputational damage. Just the political wrangling has caused market turmoil. It’s almost certain to arise in Biden’s discussions with fellow leaders in Japan, which is hosting this year’s Group of Seven talks in Hiroshima.
The prospect of a US-led global economic meltdown is not exactly what Biden and his team had in mind as they were preparing for this year’s summit, which comes at a critical moment for the war in Ukraine and amid growing tensions with China.
Because Japan, the only Asian member of the G7, is hosting this year’s summit, China is expected to loom larger than usual. Biden’s other stops in the South Pacific and Australia were similarly meant to demonstrate American commitment to a region where Beijing’s provocative actions are causing growing concern.
Senior US administration officials said Biden’s goal is to emerge from the summit demonstrating a shared approach to China among the group’s members, who haven’t always appeared aligned in the past.
Comments from French President Emmanuel Macron this spring cautioning Europe against getting drawn into a US-China conflict over Taiwan only underscored the differing views.
