The Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s Michael Shoebridge says US President Joe Biden is making a “symbolic statement” by choosing to withdraw troops from Afghanistan.

Joe Biden called for an end to America’s longest war, announcing the withdrawal of troops will coincide with the 20th anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks in 2001.

“I think part of what Biden is doing with the withdrawal from Afghanistan is to make a very symbolic statement that the dominant counter-terrorism era that began at 9/11 in 2001 has ended,” Mr Shoebridge told Sky News host Chris Kenny.

“And we’re in the new era of strategic competition with China.”