US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida discussed deterrence in the Asia-Pacific region and a “united” Western alliance against Russian threats to Ukraine in a virtual meeting on Friday, they said. officials.
Biden has made restoring the importance of the US-Japan relationship a priority since taking office exactly one year ago, after Donald Trump questioned the benefit of US relations with several major allies in both Asia and the United States. Europe.
After the roughly 1 hour and 20 minute meeting, which was held via video link behind closed doors, Biden tweeted that it was “an honor to meet with Prime Minister Kishida to further strengthen the US-Japan Alliance.” , the cornerstone of peace and security in the Indo-Pacific and throughout the world.”
Before the virtual bilat, US officials emphasized the goal of reinforcing an alliance that has underpinned US leadership throughout the region since World War II.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday that Biden and Kishida were discussing economic ties as well as security and the “free and open Indo-Pacific,” a reference to the push to maintain the status quo in the Asia-Pacific region, despite the rapid expansion of Chinese military and commercial power, including along crucial sea trade routes.
According to a senior US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, Biden and Kishida were discussing climate change, covid-19 and cybersecurity. They were also focusing on maintaining “rule-based strong order” language which generally means pushing China back.
Multilateral alliances
Another security challenge at the top of the two leaders’ agenda is North Korea, which has had a busy schedule of missile test launches this year in contravention of UN sanctions and on Thursday suggested it might even resume nuclear and intercontinental missile tests.
The official noted that Biden favors multilateral alliances, in contrast to Trump’s attempt to rebrand US foreign policy as a series of bilateral relationships with countries he viewed as both competitors and allies.
The US official highlighted the roles of the Australia-India-Japan-US Quad group and the trilateral security relationship between the US, Japan and South Korea, which the official credited for “strengthening deterrence in the Indo-Pacific.”
Underscoring growing tensions around Russia’s buildup of a large military force on Ukraine’s border, the US official said Biden and Kishida would “discuss a strong and united response that would result from further Russian aggression toward Ukraine.”
Washington is seeking the support of European allies and other countries to apply “severe” economic sanctions against Moscow if troops attack Ukraine.
Biden hosted then-Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga as his first foreign leader in the White House, and after Kishida took office, Biden was the first foreign leader to make a call.