Summit: Biden at Camp David: “New Era” for USA, Japan and South Korea

The US, Japan and South Korea want to show strength with a new defense cooperation and send a signal to China and North Korea. At a summit in Camp David, US President Joe Biden, Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol agreed to expand cooperation in the areas of economy and security. “This also includes annual military exercises in several areas,” announced Biden at a joint press conference. Cooperation in the defense sector should be brought to an “unprecedented level”. Biden praised a new “era of partnership” between countries and spoke of a “historic moment”.

The fact that Biden attaches great importance to the new partnership was already evident from the selection of the venue. Camp David is the country residence of US Presidents near Washington. On the one hand it stands for peace and seclusion, on the other hand for diplomatic successes. Camp David became really famous in 1978 when the Israeli Menachim Begin and the Egyptian Anwar el Sadat shook hands there in reconciliation. Even today, the treaty on the evacuation of the Sinai Peninsula is called “Camp David” for short. The host at the time was Jimmy Carter. For Biden, it was the first summit with foreign guests there.

The US wants to stand up to China’s quest for power

Biden has made the Indo-Pacific region a policy priority. Indo-Pacific means a region from the Indian to the Pacific Ocean. The US wants to stand up to China’s quest for power in the region. Washington and other states are concerned about China’s trade practices and Chinese expansionist drive. The United States and its partners are also concerned about North Korea’s repeated missile launches. Japan and South Korea are among the most important US allies in Asia. The joint alliance is a success for Biden simply because the two countries actually have a rather frosty relationship for historical reasons. Most recently, Seoul and Tokyo had come closer.

In accordance with the special venue, Biden and his guests did not appear with a tie, as is usually the case, but wore jackets and shirts during the press conference. Biden appeared relaxed and also in a joking mood. When a journalist presented a whole list of questions instead of one question, he said: “I’ll try to answer them all. I’m glad I didn’t have you as my law professor.”

Biden hopes to talk to Xi later this year

Biden tried to make it clear that the meeting was about broader security issues in the region. “The summit was not about China. That was not the purpose of the meeting, but China was of course discussed,” he stressed. And indeed – China was one of the dominant issues when the three men appeared before the press. In the final declaration of the summit, they also accuse China of “dangerous and aggressive behavior” in the South China Sea. We are “resolutely opposed to all unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the waters of the Indo-Pacific”.

Biden promised a talk with China’s head of state and party leader Xi Jinping later this year. “I expect and hope that we will continue our talks in Bali in the autumn. That is my expectation.” Biden and Xi last met in person on the Indonesian island of Bali on the sidelines of the summit of the G20 group of large industrialized and emerging countries last November. A new opportunity for bilateral talks between the two would arise at the G20 summit in New Delhi, India in September. US-China relations have been at rock bottom for some time.

Obligation to consult, crisis hotline and annual summit

With regard to North Korea, the three countries want to exchange real-time missile information and work more closely together on ballistic missile defense. The neighbors South Korea and Japan are dependent on the nuclear protective umbrella of the USA to deter North Korea, among others. South Korea’s President Yoon in particular has repeatedly expressed concern about the neighbors.

A kind of consultation obligation in security crises and the establishment of a hotline for rapid exchange in crises were also agreed. There should also be an early warning system for possible problems in supply chains. In addition, an annual tripartite summit with the USA, Japan and South Korea is now planned. “From this moment on, Camp David will be remembered as a historic site,” Yoon said, referring to the summit’s outcome. Japan’s Premier Kishida said it was a great honor to add a new page to the Camp David history book with the summit.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine was also discussed at the summit. In Biden’s opinion, this will have effects beyond Europe – the partners in Asia would have understood that too. Such an attack could happen anywhere, Biden said. “If we stood still, what signal would that send to China regarding Taiwan?” the Democrat asked.