Política industrial-militar na era da competição estratégica: a resposta do governo Biden à ascensão da China

Abstract

This research analyzes the reconfiguration of the United States’ industrial-military policy under the Biden administration as part of the American strategy for strategic competition with China. It is argued that this reconfiguration is justified by two central and complementary elements: the rise of China as a technological and military competitor, catalyzed by plans such as “Made in China 2025”, and the weakening of the American Military-Industrial Complex (MIC) in the post-Cold War period. The Biden administration’s response in this field materializes in a dual policy of “competition” and “containment”, with a predominant focus on the former, aimed at strengthening domestic capabilities as the main competitive tool. The article presents a conceptual and historical discussion on the centrality of the military-industrial complex to the U.S. policy and economy and analyzes the Biden administration’s strategy and policy based on the evaluation of key documents, such as the National Security Strategy (NSS), the National Defense Strategy (NDS), the National Defense Science and Technology Strategy (NDSTS), and the National Defense Industrial Strategy (NDIS), as well as relevant Executive Orders. The documentary research shows that two of the main U.S. political institutions—the White House and the Department of Defense—recognize the strategic competition with China as a defining condition of the current decade. Furthermore, they present an official diagnosis of the MIC’s atrophy in the face of this competition and formalize a new and robust industrial policy that seeks to revitalize the country’s innovation and manufacturing base, redefining the relationship between national security and economic security for a new era of great power competition. Finally, it is concluded that the Biden administration redefines strategic competition through the restructuring of a policy with intentional guidelines for the military industry and the innovation ecosystem of the United States.