Security, Supply Chains & Chips In Focus At US-Japan-SK Summit

Wires carrying comments from an unnamed senior White House official ahead of today's tripartite summit between US President Joe Biden, Japanese PM Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol . Leaders will pledge a 'duty to consult' with one another in the event of a crisis or circumstances that affect the security of any one of them. Official states that the duty to consult 'is not a formal alliance commitment or collective defense commitment'.

• The joint statement will have 'robust' language on the South China Sea based on international law, with opposition to coercion and militarisation. The three will 'immediately consult and discuss ways to share information, align messaging, and take policy actions in tandem.'
• Says that the three are 'all committed to effective, practical, constructive diplomacy with China toward stable relations.'
• The three nations are 'likely to advance dialogue on AI, biotech, supply chains, semiconductors, and 'economic coercion'.'

• Under recent leaders historic animosities have hindered cooperation on trade and security. However, the impact of the war in Ukraine in solidifying the bloc of US allies, as well as rising concerns in Seoul and Tokyo about an aggressive North Korea and rising Chinese influence in Asia, could prove significant enough to result in a lasting deeper cooperation.