The United States, Japan, and South Korea are set to forge a technology and defense alliance at a summit to be held at Camp David on Friday. Senior US administration officials have revealed that the three countries will launch joint initiatives on technology and defense in response to growing concerns about China. While the summit is not expected to result in a formal security arrangement committing the nations to one another’s defense, they will establish a mutual understanding of regional responsibilities and create a three-way hotline for communication during times of crisis.
US President Joe Biden extended an invitation to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to the historic presidential retreat in Maryland’s Catoctin Mountains as the three Asian nations work to repair their strained diplomatic relations. The increasing regional threats posed by China’s rise and North Korea have intensified the need for collaboration.
This summit marks the first in what US officials hope will become an annual gathering, formalizing the ties and cooperation among these countries. South Korea and Japan recently held their first joint summit in 12 years, taking steps to ease tensions that stemmed from various disputes, including Japan’s occupation of Korea from 1910 to 1945.
Although the United States has separate formal collective defense arrangements with Tokyo and Seoul, it seeks closer collaboration between the two nations in light of mounting concerns about China’s growing power and potential intentions. US officials anticipate a strengthening of security ties, stating that this will add to our collective security. However, they acknowledged that a three-way security framework might be a bridge too far, and instead, they will focus on fostering mutual understanding of regional security responsibilities and exploring areas of coordination, such as ballistic missile defense.
The summit is also expected to yield a joint statement addressing concerns about China’s ambitions regarding Taiwan. The language of the statement, currently under negotiation, is likely to be consistent with prior US positions and seeks to avoid sharp escalation in rhetoric with Beijing, as President Biden aims to ease tensions ahead of potential talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this year.
Experts suggest that the Biden administration is seeking to leverage the Japan-South Korea rapprochement to institutionalize progress made so far, making it harder for future leaders to reverse these efforts. However, they caution that progress remains fragile, as President Yoon’s policies in South Korea face limited popularity, and skepticism persists in Japan about the durability of improved relations.
The anticipated summit statement is likely to underscore the interconnectedness of the security concerns among the three countries, recognizing that a threat to one should be seen as a threat to all. While stopping short of invoking NATO’s Article 5, which considers an attack on one member as an attack on all, the statement is expected to be complemented by enhanced defense initiatives, including expanded joint military exercises and missile defense cooperation.
The Camp David summit represents a significant step forward in strengthening collaboration among the United States, Japan, and South Korea. As regional security challenges loom large amidst China’s ascent and North Korea’s unpredictability, closer cooperation and coordination among these key allies are critical to ensure stability and peace in the Asia-Pacific region.
