2023-08-18 21:30:00
DISPATCH — The US president today hosted the leaders of Japan and South Korea at Camp David, near Washington, for a “historic” summit aimed at building closer military cooperation. The idea is simple: face North Korea and China, without really saying it.
Ten days ago, as tensions between China and Taiwan were still building, former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso called on the international community to “wake up“.
It may be done, now that Joe Biden speaks of a “new era of cooperation”. The US president thanked Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol for the “political courage” they have shown in working towards this rapprochement, despite South Korea’s painful history of colonization by Japan.
“We will remember this day as a historic day, when we establish a solid institutional foundation and make commitments for our trilateral partnership,” the South Korean president said, as reported by AFP.
“I look forward to frank discussions to open a new era of partnership,” assured the Japanese Prime Minister.
During this meeting, the three heads of state must establish a “program of joint (military) exercises over several years”, while promising to consult each other in crisis situations, according to the main security adviser of the House -Blanche, Jake Sullivan.
China of course criticized the initiative. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also mocked Seoul and Tokyo: “You can blond your hair or have your nose refined as much as you want, you will never be Europeans or Westerners, you cannot become Westerners. We need to know where our roots are.”
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