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US President Joe Biden, Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol came together for a trilateral meeting during the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Hiroshima on May 21, 2023. It was a significant event where they posed for photographs, symbolizing the importance of their discussions.
A senior official from the Biden administration stated that the US summit with Japan and South Korea would outline “ambitious” initiatives to strengthen trilateral security ties in the Indo-Pacific region. These measures are not only aimed at bolstering the alliances but also at deterring China’s increasing aggression.
The announcement of these measures will take place at Camp David on Friday, during a meeting between President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol. Kurt Campbell, the White House coordinator for Indo-Pacific affairs, emphasized the significance of this meeting, noting that it is the first time foreign leaders have visited Camp David since President Biden took office. He described the initiatives to be unveiled as “ambitious” and emphasized their purpose of establishing long-term trilateral engagement.
The Camp David summit holds great importance as it marks the first standalone meeting between the US, Japan, and South Korea. Washington aims to leverage the improved relations between its two closest security alliances in Asia. In addition to the immediate measures announced, plans to make this summit an annual event and invest in technology for a three-way hotline to facilitate crisis communication between the governments will also be unveiled.
This summit is considered a “big deal” due to the current geopolitical uncertainty and instability. Victor Cha, a senior vice president and Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, noted the impact of the war in Ukraine, which has reduced the gap between the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions, causing countries to prioritize national security. Beijing’s assertive behavior and North Korea’s hostile actions further contribute to the need for enhanced security measures.
China has opposed the formation of exclusionary groupings and practices that intensify antagonism and threaten the strategic security of other countries. However, Campbell clarified that the US focus is not to contain China, but rather to address the changing actions of China that pose security threats in the region. He emphasized that many countries in the Indo-Pacific have significant economic and political interests with China, but they are increasingly concerned about its actions.
The US-China relationship has reached its lowest point in years, with tensions escalating over various issues, including trade and technological competition. Amidst these tensions, Indo-Pacific nations desire an increased US presence in the region. Rahm Emanuel, the US ambassador to Japan, expressed the region’s desperation for more US involvement and highlighted China’s risky behavior.
The upcoming meeting between President Biden, Prime Minister Kishida, and President Yoon would be closely observed by China, as it has been unsuccessful in reviving its own trilateral summits with Japan and South Korea. Japan and South Korea have also faced historical issues, and the summit can be seen as a victory for the White House in overcoming these challenges.
The agreements and initiatives reached at the summit would strengthen the trilateral relationship and address the common security concerns faced by each country. China’s options to reverse this trilateral momentum are limited, and any attempts to coerce one of the countries economically may backfire and strengthen their unity.
Kurt Campbell emphasized the need to approach these initiatives step by step, taking into account the domestic context of each country. While envisioning a future with greater ambition, it is important to build appropriately and not overextend.
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