US President Joe Biden, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio agreed on August 18 to strengthen economic and military cooperation, and strongly condemned China’s “dangerous behaviour” in the South China Sea.
In the joint statement, the three countries resolved to consult together quickly in crises and coordinate to respond to challenges in the Asia-Pacific region.
theo reutersThe three countries also agreed to hold annual exercises until the end of 2023 and share real-time information about North Korea’s missile launches.
follow the channel channel newsasiaPatrick Cronin, president of Asia-Pacific security at the Hudson Institute (USA), said the current trilateral cooperation is not yet a formal alliance or collective security, but is getting closer.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio during a joint news conference with President Joe Biden in Camp David, Maryland – USA, on August 18. Photo: Reuters
Reacting to the meeting, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on 18 August that the international community would self-appraise who was fueling the conflict and tensions.
According to this spokesperson, efforts to create and bring confrontation groups into the Asia-Pacific will only face vigilance and opposition from countries in the region.
Analysts say shared security concerns in the Indo-Pacific, particularly the growing show of force by China and North Korea, have boosted ties between US allies, Japan and Korea.
Dr. Takuya Matsuda, a researcher at the Yokosuka Council on Asia-Pacific Studies, said the warming of relations between the two countries in such a short time was surprising to most Asian observers.
Experts also said that the trilateral meeting assumes special significance in outlining the strategic priorities of the three countries in the region as well as creating a basis for coordination on policy and defense response.
according to the newspaper the new York TimesThe prospect of economic retaliation from Beijing is a serious concern for South Korea and Japan, as China is the largest trading partner for both countries.
However, according to Daniel Snyder, lecturer in international policy at Stanford University (USA), Seoul and Tokyo will have to be flexible in their efforts to find a balance between cooperation, competition and confrontation.
