It’s now conventional wisdom that American foreign policy under the Joe Biden administration will revert to a more traditional and stable approach. That means restoring cooperation with friends and allies, as well as taking a professional and institutional course, rather than the intuitive and theatrical one practiced by Donald Trump.
Biden’s appointment of highly regarded experts like Kurt Campbell, architect of the Obama administration’s “pivot to Asia,” to handle for Indo-Pacific affairs has certainly been welcomed by Tokyo.
But that’s only half of the story. A key component in understanding the nature of Biden’s foreign policy is diversity. Biden has made clear that inclusivity and diversity will be a core value of his administration. As he said in an interview in December: “I’m going to keep my commitment that the administration, both in the White House and outside in the Cabinet, is going to look like the country.”