U.S., South Korea, and Japan Forge Deeper Ties to Counter China and Defend Taiwan: Camp David Summit

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida are working to improve relations between their countries in the face of increasing aggression from China and nuclear threats from North Korea. President Joe Biden hopes to reinforce this alliance with a summit at Camp David this Friday. While the summit is not expected to result in a formal security arrangement, the leaders will establish a mutual understanding about their regional responsibilities. Diplomats credit Yoon and Kishida for taking the initiative to seek better ties. However, there are challenges to deepening the partnership, including low approval ratings for the leaders and skepticism from former President Donald Trump about the benefits of alliances. The White House aims to establish routine cooperation between South Korea and Japan on various issues, including military exercises, missile defense, the economy, and scientific research. Challenges remain, as evidenced by Kishida’s offerings to the controversial Yasukuni shrine and China’s criticism of Japan’s plans to release treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant. The three nations are careful not to provoke China but share concerns about its growing influence. North Korea views the deepening military ties between the South Korea, Japan, and the US as a threat and has been seeking closer relationships with China and Russia. The summit aims to solidify the alliance against common challenges in the region.