US Secretaries of State and Defence to begin East Asia tour
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will arrive in Japan today, beginning the duo’s four-day East Asia tour.
Blinken and Austin will first meet with their Japanese counterparts today and tomorrow in Tokyo and then will travel to Seoul for talks with South Korean counterparts on Wednesday and Thursday. Notably, before ending the trip, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will replace General Austin in Blinken’s convoy before Blinken and Sullivan meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Foreign Affairs Commissioner Yang Jiechi in Anchorage, Alaska.
US President Joe Biden’s new interim National Security Strategy takes a nuanced approach to China, calling for cooperation in climate change while recognising the urgency of addressing Beijing as a hegemonic rival in areas such as maritime supremacy. Nevertheless, given Austin’s preference for coercive diplomacy, it is likely Biden views the US-China issue as one requiring a combined regional approach to pressure Beijing to acquiesce to security demands and climate collaboration. Therefore, Blinken and Austin will likely use today to call on the Japan Self-Defense Forces to take greater initiative in countering China in the East China Sea in the hope a more engaged Tokyo will create pressure when negotiating with China.
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