US President Joe Biden pledged US defense support to Japan and the Philippines during a three-way summit in Washington. The US commitments to the two Asian countries are unwavering, Biden said on Thursday during the meeting with his Philippine counterpart Ferdinand Marcos and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
The Japanese head of government previously called on the US to continue to fulfill its global leadership role in the future. The meeting came amid heightened tensions with China.
Dispute over territorial claims in the South China Sea
“Any attack on Philippine aircraft, ships or forces in the South China Sea” would trigger a mutual defense agreement, Biden said. China claims virtually the entire South China Sea for itself. But Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam also claim parts of the maritime area. The tensions, coupled with China’s increasingly aggressive behavior toward the self-ruled island of Taiwan, have prompted Biden to strengthen alliances in the region.
Politicians speak of a ‘historic’ meeting
The three leaders called Thursday’s meeting “historic.” Without mentioning China by name, they emphasized their alliance as the foundation of peace and democracy in the Asia-Pacific region, in contrast to authoritarian Beijing. Marcos, seen as more pro-Washington than his more China-focused predecessor Rodrigo Duterte, said the leaders shared an “unwavering commitment to the rules-based international order.”
Earlier on Thursday, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida, who arrived in the United States on Tuesday evening for a state visit, delivered a speech in both houses of the US Congress. “United States leadership is essential,” he said.
Trump wants to keep the US out of international conflicts
Although he did not mention the expected presidential candidate of the opposition Republicans, Donald Trump, the Japanese guest’s appeal was unmistakably aimed not least at the former American president. Trump stands for an isolationist approach to foreign policy and wants to keep the US out of international conflicts and crises as much as possible.
Kishida went on to say that he recognized “an undercurrent of self-doubt among some Americans about what their role in the world should be.” He expressed understanding that the United States was exhausted from being “the country that has almost single-handedly maintained the international order.”
However, the Japanese Prime Minister also emphasized what he saw as the essential role of the United States in addressing international conflicts. “Without American support, how long would it take for Ukraine’s hopes to crumble under the Russian onslaught?” Kishida asked.
He also asked, “How long would it be before the Indo-Pacific faces a harsher reality without the presence of the United States?” Kishida was referring to China’s territorial claims in the Asia-Pacific region.
The US military command in Japan is being restructured
On Tuesday, Kishida and US President Joe Biden announced closer defense cooperation. So they presented plans to restructure the US military command in Japan. Biden also announced that Japan and the United States would establish a joint air defense network with Australia.
The Biden administration sees Japan as a key bulwark against China in the Asia-Pacific region. Kishida is the first Japanese leader since Shinzo Abe in 2015 to be honored with a state visit to the United States.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
