The foreign policy chiefs of the United States, Japan and South Korea agreed Tuesday to boost cooperation in tackling North Korea’s missile threat and in ensuring economic security as they seek to build resilient supply chains for critical items.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin also discussed issues related to China, while sharing the view that unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force are unacceptable, Japan’s Foreign Ministry said.
During the tripartite meeting held on the fringes of an APEC gathering in San Francisco, the top diplomats agreed on the need to share information and monitor developments with respect to North Korea’s supply of arms to Russia, which continues to wage war in Ukraine.
Photo shows (from L) South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa as they pose for a photo ahead of a meeting in San Francisco on Nov. 14, 2023. (Photo courtesy of the Japanese Foreign Ministry)(Kyodo)
Blinken touched on an upcoming summit between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who are both attending the leaders’ meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, a Japanese official said.
“Strategic trilateral coordination is increasingly needed. We’ll work together to maintain and strengthen the free and open international order based on the rule of law,” Kamikawa said at the meeting.
The United States and its close Asian allies have shared concerns about North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile development and China’s assertive behavior in the Indo-Pacific region, where the democracies want to maintain the status quo.
In the latest demonstration of the deepening of trilateral ties, the countries are preparing to initiate a system by the end of this year that allows for the swift exchange of information on North Korean missiles.
They are stepping up cooperation on ensuring stable supplies of semiconductors and batteries, among other technologies, learning from disruptions during the COVID pandemic that showed China’s dominance in the production of items crucial for national security.
The deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza was also on the agenda amid the ongoing Israeli offensive triggered by an October attack by Hamas militants. The civilian death toll has quickly climbed and hospitals in the Gaza Strip have been targeted by Israeli armed forces.
Related coverage:
Japan, U.S., South Korea missile info-sharing system in final stage
Blinken, South Korea’s Park share concern about North Korea-Russia ties
Japan calls for cooperation for Gaza humanitarian pause at G7 meeting
