A new survey from the Pew Research Center reveals that the public increasingly views China as the most pressing foreign policy concern. According to the survey of 3,600 adults in early April, 49% of Americans now hold that “limiting the power and influence of China” should be a top priority in U.S. long-range foreign policy, which is up from 32% in 2018. Meanwhile, only 23% and 22% believe the same about “supporting Ukraine” and “supporting Israel,” respectively.
However, U.S. foreign policy continues to prioritize security in Europe and the Middle East over safeguarding our interests in Asia, which is the world’s most consequential economic region and home to America’s most potent geopolitical foe. The $95 billion aid package signed into law by President Joe Biden last week sent $61 billion to Ukraine, which brings the total U.S. commitment to a staggering $175 billion since Russia invaded in early 2022. The bill also granted $15 billion in military aid for Israel and $9 billion for humanitarian aid in Gaza while allocating a relatively paltry $8 billion to counter China’s dizzying military buildup, which, according to our own military intelligence, will prepare it for a conflict with the U.S. by 2027.
This disconnect between voter sentiment and expert-class behavior on foreign policy demands increased scrutiny, if only because the wisdom of the crowd is self-evident in this instance. Indeed, a Chinese takeover of Taiwan would be far more detrimental to America’s immediate and long-term interests than a setback in Europe or the Middle East — or even both. And so, efforts to repel such an action must be appropriately prioritized and funded.