Biden’s world agenda President-elect Joe Biden will focus heavily on patching up the “new world disorder” of the Trump administration, and restoring dashed confidence in U.S. commitments to its allies ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- EUROPE: Top priority is to breathe life back into transatlantic alliance – foundation of U.S. interests since World War II Most of EU’s 27 leaders, except for autocrats in Hungary and Poland, welcome Biden’s election victory ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CLIMATE CHANGE: He plans to rejoin 2015 Paris Agreement that Trump abandoned. Biden has appointed former secretary of state, John Kerry, as “climate envoy” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RUSSIA: Biden’s goals of reviving New START nuclear weapons treaty – which expires Feb 5 – and stabilising Middle East requires collaboration of President Vladimir Putin (right). Putin is openly hostile to Western interests. Biden has named Russia as “the biggest threat” to America ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IRAN: Work with Britain, Germany, France, Russia and China to re-enter Iran nuclear deal – Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action that Trump quit in 2018. Tackle Iran’s other issues of concern – its ballistic missiles programme, assistance to terror organisations and human rights violations ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CHINA: Biden is expected to continue Trump’s aggressive stance on China, building international alliance to wage trade war more effectively. Issues range from human rights abuses by President Xi Jinping (above) in Xinjiang region to Beijing’s clampdown on pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong “This is a guy who is a thug” – Biden on Xi, Feb 2020 Tech companies linked to Chinese Communist Party also pose U.S. national security concerns ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SOUTH CHINA SEA: China is expected to continue its military build-up as Washington pushes to counterbalance Beijing’s regional rise ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NORTH KOREA: Before any U.S. dialogue with Kim Jong-un (left), Biden has demanded Pyongyang show it is willing to abandon its nuclear weapons programme. Many analysts believe that unless Team Biden starts urgent talks with North Korea, Kim could resume nuclear and missile tests ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ISRAEL: Under Trump’s Abraham Accords between Israel, Bahrain and UAE, Israel agreed to shelve West Bank annexation plans. Accords buy time for Biden to convince Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right) that Palestinian two-state solution is only way to ensure Israel’s security ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NATO: U.S. is expected to move quickly to repair damaged relations with military alliance. Mission needs to adapt to deal with challenges – international terrorism, cyber and missile threats, Russia and China ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TURKEY: Eastern Mediterranean troubles include disputes between Greece, Cyprus and Turkey. Purchase of Russian S-400 missile defence systems by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (above), differences in policy on Syria and detention of U.S. consulate employees raises prospect of U.S. sanctions ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASIA-PACIFIC: U.S. will push to repair frayed ties with Asian allies. Analysts have raised possibility of U.S. joining Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. Mega trade deal is renamed version of Obama-era Trans-Pacific Partnership abandoned by President Trump in 2017 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sources: Brookings, New Yorker, Peterson Institute for International Economics Pictures: Associated Press, Getty Images © GRAPHIC NEWS