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Summit for Democracy Showed the Challenges to Democracy
Opinion
Mimaki Seiko considers the approach taken by the Biden Administration in terms of how well the Summit's stated goals and invited countries accord with each other. Seiko contends that the Summit failed to demonstrate unity among democracies in the face of rising autocracy and increasing Chinese influence. These issues are attributed to two factors: unclear criteria for which countries were invited, notably with only four of eleven countries in Southeast Asia invited, and issues with American democracy itself. These factors are particularly relevant given China's inclusive approach to working with countries in the region and its vigorous diplomatic offensive taken in response to the Summit.