CNN’s John King expressed skepticism towards recently increased tensions within U.S. foreign policy relations–specifically in regards to China and Russia–going so far as to compare current events to the Cold War.
King made this assessment amid news from President Joe Biden’s administration that there will be a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. This action by the U.S. to take a stand against human rights abuses reported within China also follows a virtual summit meeting between Biden and President Xi Jinping, which according to The Washinton Post, solidified a reason for Biden to move forward with the boycott.
Another area of tension within U.S. foreign policy is the unstable relationship with Russia and Russian President Vladimir Putin. On Saturday, the White House announced that Biden will speak with Putin on Tuesday to discuss, “a range of topics in the U.S.-Russia relationship, including strategic stability, cyber, and regional issues.” This conversation will also include a crucial discussion of U.S. concerns regarding military activities reported on the Ukraine border.
CNN’s John King, and his guests Eva McKend, CNN National Politics Reporter, and Julie Hirschfield Davis, congressional editor for The New York Times, expressed concern for the mounting tension.
“A diplomatic boycott of the Olympics is a big deal,” said King, “This is a giant prestige moment for Xi Jinping.”King continued, “He wants the Olympics, he
Then the program shifted focus to a speech made by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, in which he commented that, “As president Biden has repeatedly made clear, we’re not seeking a new cold war or a world divided into rigid blocks.”
To which King promptly responded, “The secretary says they don’t want a new cold war. Sure feels like a cold war.”
“Seems like both sides are constantly testing each other and dancing up close to the line,” King said with skepticism.
Davis chimed into the conversation and remarked, “I think what we’ve seen is a real ratcheting up clearly of the tensions.”
The congressional editor added that Biden needs to find a solution that “could move this issue away from the brink of all of the confrontation that you’re talking about because in the end, he needs an outcome here.”
Mckend had a bit more optimism in her commentary arguing that the Biden administration has the opportunity to “show that they have this foreign policy prowess, that they can achieve this.”
King concluded the segment calling it “fascinating to watch,” adding that they will continue to monitor the development of this story.
Watch above via CNN.