Biden-Moon Talks: Time To Strengthen Japan-US-South Korea Alliance

Published in Mainichi Shimbun
(Japan) on 25 May 2021
by (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by T Kagata. Edited by Gillian Palmer.
It is important that Japan, the United States and the Republic of Korea cooperate in their efforts to promote stability in Northeast Asia.

President Joe Biden and South Korean President Moon Jae-in met at the White House and agreed to strengthen the U.S.-South Korean alliance.

Moon is the second foreign leader to meet face-to-face with Biden, following Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide last month. As the U.S.-China conflict intensifies, Biden has shown his willingness to strengthen relations with major Asian allies.

On the North Korean nuclear issue, the two leaders confirmed a policy to seek a solution through dialogue. Biden also expressed his support for negotiation and cooperation between North and South Korea.

For Moon, who has made improving relations between North and South Korea his top priority, U.S. support will be the wind in his sails. However, he must not give North Korea a chance to take advantage of Moon’s remaining term, which ends next May, and rushing to achieve results.

Biden said he would not agree to a meeting with Kim Jong Un, the general secretary of the Workers’ Party of [North] Korea, unless he makes a move toward denuclearization. This is to avoid repeating the mistake made by former President Donald Trump, who held a series of talks with Kim, but came up empty.

What is noteworthy is that Moon agreed with the U.S., whose stance is to keep China in check.

Although it did not mention China, the joint statement clearly noted the “importance of preserving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.” It also included “freedom of navigation and overflight” in the South China Sea and the importance of a rules-based international order, citing the role of the Quad framework that includes Australia and India in addition to Japan and the U.S.

Previous South Korean administrations have tended to avoid expressing any opinion of China’s hegemonic behavior. This time, it can be said that it went one step further.

It was also announced that South Korean companies will invest about 4 trillion yen in the U.S., in sectors such as semiconductors and storage batteries. This is in line with the Biden administration’s strategy to speed up the establishment of a supply chain that does not depend on China.

The cooperation between Japan, the U.S. and South Korea, which is formed by two alliances — Japan and the U.S., and the U.S. and South Korea — is a pillar that supports the security of Northeast Asia. Although there are differences in their foreign policies, it’s essential that they be aligned on issues such as China and North Korea.

The democratic nations of Asia have been invited to the Group of Seven summit to be held in the U.K. next month; Moon will also attend. It should be an opportunity to further strengthen the ties between the three countries.


バイデン・文会談 日米韓連携を固め直す時
毎日新聞 2021/5/25 東京朝刊 861文字

 北東アジアの安定を図るため、日米韓3カ国の連携につなげていくことが大切だ。

 バイデン米大統領と文在寅(ムンジェイン)韓国大統領がホワイトハウスで会談し、米韓同盟の強化で一致した。

 バイデン氏が対面で会談した外国首脳は、先月の菅義偉首相に続き2人目だ。米中対立の激化を背景に、アジアの主要同盟国との関係を強化する姿勢を示した。

 北朝鮮の核問題では、対話を通じた解決を目指す方針を確認した。バイデン氏は、南北間の対話と協力にも支持を表明した。

 南北関係の改善を最優先課題とする文氏にとって、米国の支持は追い風となる。ただし、来年5月までの残り任期を意識して成果を焦り、北朝鮮に付け入る隙(すき)を与えてはならない。

 バイデン氏は、北朝鮮が非核化へ向けた動きを見せない限り、金正恩(キムジョンウン)朝鮮労働党総書記との会談には応じないと語った。金氏との会談を重ねながら空回りに終わったトランプ前大統領の失敗を繰り返さないためだ。

 注目されるのは、中国をけん制する米国の姿勢に文氏が同調したことだ。

 中国を名指しはしなかったが、共同声明は「台湾海峡の平和と安定の重要性」を明記した。南シナ海の「航行の自由」やルールに基づく国際秩序の重要性も盛り込み、日米にオーストラリアとインドを加えた協力枠組み「クアッド」の役割にも言及した。

 韓国の歴代政権は、中国の覇権主義的行動に対する態度表明を避ける傾向にあった。今回は一歩踏み込んだといえる。

 韓国企業が半導体や蓄電池分野で4兆円規模の対米投資をすることも発表された。中国に依存しないサプライチェーン(供給網)の構築を急ぐバイデン政権の戦略に沿ったものだ。

 日米、米韓という二つの同盟で結ばれた日米韓の連携は、北東アジアの安全保障を支える柱だ。3カ国の外交政策には温度差もあるが、中国や北朝鮮の問題では足並みをそろえることが不可欠だ。

 英国で来月開かれる主要7カ国(G7)首脳会議の場にはアジアの民主国家も招待されており、文氏も出席する。3カ国の連携をさらに強める機会にすべきである。
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