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Xinhua News Agency, Washington, February 21. Biden’s “full moon” administration, “trauma” inside and out is hard to heal
Xinhua News Agency reporter Deng Xianlai and Liu Pinran prospered
A month has passed since the new United States government came to power. During this period, an important feature of the Biden administration was the intensive abandonment or reversal of the “political performance” and policies of the previous government, and a return to largely establishment traditions of government. However, in the context of growing domestic political polarization and a tarnished external image in the United States, the Biden administration has struggled to push forward its political agenda.
Cancel the “bad policy”
Biden has performed frequently since taking the stage for a month. According to CNN statistics, as of February 19, Biden signed 53 administrative orders and other administrative measures, an unprecedented number.
Responding to the new corona epidemic is the top priority of the new United States government. Among the 53 orders and administrative measures mentioned above, up to 15 involved epidemic response. The first executive order signed by Biden on the day he took office was the “100-day mask order,” which was the complete opposite of former President Trump’s attitude toward masks. The Biden administration has also issued a national strategy to deal with the new corona epidemic. Biden and his Democratic Party pushed a $ 1.9 trillion “American rescue plan” in Congress last month to combat the epidemic and ease the economic impact of the epidemic.
The issue of race is also one of the political focuses of the Biden administration after he took office. On January 26, Biden signed a series of administrative orders related to housing, prison reform and Aboriginal people. These measures are seen as the new government’s response to the escalation of ethnic conflict in the United States since last year.
If the above measures are to deal with the problems left by the previous administration, then the new immigration policies and others introduced by the Biden administration are basically dissipating the “political gains” of the Trump administration. These new policies include halting the construction of the border wall between the United States and Mexico, abolishing the policy of mandatory separation of immigrants requesting family separation, and abolishing restrictions on the entry of people from some Islamic countries.
According to the US media, of the 53 executive orders and measures signed by Biden, 20 are reversals of Trump-era policies. Biden said the executive orders he signed were not to establish new regulations, but to cancel “bad policies.”
Rearrange the “circle of friends”
In terms of diplomacy, the Biden administration reversed the previous administration’s stance on Iran’s climate, arms control and nuclear issues, and delivered on some of its campaign promises.
On the first day of taking office, Biden signed an executive order announcing that the United States had rejoined the Paris Agreement on climate change and halted procedures to withdraw from the World Health Organization. The Biden administration said the next day that it was seeking to extend the “New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty” between the United States and Russia for five years, then completed renewal procedures with Russia before the end of the treaty’s term on February 5. . On February 8, the Biden administration announced that it would return to the UN Human Rights Council as an observer. On February 18, the Biden administration expressed its willingness to meet with the parties to the Iranian nuclear deal to discuss the Iranian nuclear issue. Furthermore, the Biden administration also changed the previous government’s position on the Yemen issue and announced that it would no longer support the military operations of the Saudi-led multinational coalition in Yemen. The new US government also stopped the previous government’s plan to withdraw some of its troops from Germany.
Biden delivered his first foreign policy speech after taking office at the State Department on February 4, stating that he must cooperate with allies through diplomatic means to jointly address challenges, emphasizing that allies are “one of the America’s largest assets. ” On February 19, Biden delivered a video address at the Munich Security Conference, expressing his determination to repair the transatlantic partnership. On the same day, the United States officially rejoined the Paris Agreement.
Analysts noted that, compared to the previous administration, the Biden administration, while continuing to follow the concept of competition among major powers, has paid more attention to attracting allies in ways, trying to reshape the image and influence of the United States in the circle of allies.
The “wounds” are difficult to heal
Regardless of internal or external affairs, the Biden administration has made substantial modifications to the policies of the previous administration since taking office a month ago. However, analysts believe that under the current internal and external situations facing the United States, the Biden administration faces many challenges in continuing to implement its policy of “de-trumping.”
After Biden took office, he issued a host of administrative orders due to the swift abolition of Trump’s political legacy and his own political agenda. However, articles published in the US media pointed out that although the president’s executive order has legal effect, it is not a law in itself. Compared to congressional legislation, its effect is shorter and easier to repeal. Furthermore, Republicans in Congress have been quite unhappy with his tactics, which will inevitably hamper future cooperation between the two parties. Racial contradictions, political tears, and social injustices in American society will not fundamentally change because of regime change.
Republicans can also create problems for the Biden administration on important personnel matters. The “Political News” of the United States published an article that, although the Democrats have regained control of the Senate, their advantage is extremely weak. Republicans have successfully delayed the certification of several controversial nominees. Currently, only 7 of the 23 cabinet officials nominated by Biden have been approved by the Senate.
In terms of foreign policy, the Biden administration is not only facing internal resistance, but it also needs to overcome mistrust from allies and the international community in the United States. Charles Kupchan, a professor of international relations at Georgetown University in the United States, said the image of the United States as a “lighthouse” and a “city on the hill” has been significantly damaged. Some analysts pointed out that the structural differences between the United States and Europe are not easy to bridge, and the “mental trauma” caused by the various “torments” of the former US government to the allies is difficult to heal in the short term.