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**APRIL 16, 2021**

Kuttner on TAP

Biden's Unforced Error: Naming Sarah Bianchi to a Top China Job

****

The White House has just announced that Sarah Bianchi will be a
principal deputy U.S. trade rep in charge of China policy. As I
previously reported
,
not only is Bianchi one of the most corporate of revolving-door
officials from Biden's old crowd; she has no background whatsoever on
China.

Bianchi, whose appointment requires Senate confirmation, could be the
next Neera Tanden-the Biden OMB appointee whom the Senate would not
confirm. Republicans, who try to upstage Democrats on which party is
tougher on China, will provide little if any support. And, in a reverse
bandwagon effect, this embarrassing appointment could be opposed by some
Democratic senators as well.

What's also appalling is that Biden's team is already on the
defensive with the Asian American community, after failing to get Tanden
confirmed. The one senior (and widely respected) Asian American in
Biden's Cabinet is U.S. Trade Rep Katherine Tai.

Earlier in her career, Tai was a top China negotiator at USTR, and is
fluent in Mandarin. What an affront to Tai to impose on her as a deputy
in charge of China affairs someone who has no background on China.

Sen. Marco Rubio, a leading GOP China hawk who sometimes works with
Democrats, said in an email, "Katherine Tai was a historic selection for
U.S. Trade Representative who was confirmed with 98 votes and deserves a
team that can carry out her expertise and views on China. The China
portfolio at U.S.T.R. is a critical position that should be reserved for
someone with experience in these issues."

My sources say that word came down from Biden and his more corporate top
aides that a job had to be found for Bianchi. She apparently made a run
at OMB, but was rebuffed. The USTR China post is her consolation prize.

While giving Bianchi the USTR deputy job, Biden has inexplicably
dithered in filling the top OMB position. Some say this is in response
to pressure to find an Asian American to replace Tanden.

What's bizarre is that an exceptionally well-qualified candidate,
Shalanda Young, has been confirmed as OMB deputy director and has been
functioning as acting director. Young, who is African American, has the
strong support of the congressional leadership and the Congressional
Black Caucus.

Some people expected that Bianchi's appointment today might be paired
with Young's. Instead, it was announced along with seven other
subcabinet jobs. So in a perverse trifecta, Biden has managed to offend
both his Asian American and African American constituencies by imposing
an unqualified deputy on Tai, while leaving Young in limbo.

For the most part, Biden's appointments have been good and he has been
responsive to the progressive community. Let's hope this fiasco is the
exception. And it isn't quite over.

~ ROBERT KUTTNER

Follow Robert Kuttner on Twitter

Robert Kuttner's latest book is
The Stakes: 2020 and the Survival of American Democracy
.

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