Cronkite school of journalism at
Arizona state university.
>> President Biden met with the
leaders of Japan and South Korea
at camp David.
Japan and South Korea had long
had antagonistic relations.
Today's meeting is a new
starting point for the
countries.
They released the camp David
principles, promising to consult
with one another if either felt
security was threatened.
They committed to military
coordination by real-time
information about north Korean
ballistic missile lost his --
launches.
They vowed to expand trilateral
exercise and establish the
three-way hotline for crisis
communication.
President Biden said it will
have long-lasting effects.
>> This is historic.
We are about to lay in place a
long-term structure for a
relationship that will last and
have a phenomenal impact.
Not just in Asia, but around the
world.
It is a big deal.
This is a big deal.
>> Just how significant are the
new agreements?
Mike is a professor at the
Elliott school of international
affairs at the George Washington
university.
He focuses on Japan and security
in Asia.
It is good to have you here.
>> Thank you for having me.
>> These agreements on joint
military and technology
initiatives come against the
backdrop of beijing's growing
power.
In your view, what impact will
this have?
>> First of all, what it does is
enhances deterrence and
coordination among the united
States, Japan, and South Korea
to counter the aggressive
behavior by China.
There can also be a negative
consequence of the campaign of
the summit.
It could intensify the
confrontational divide between
the U.S., Japan, and South Korea
on one hand, and China, north
Korea, and Russia on the other
hand.
As a result of the camp David
meeting, the other trilateral
could respond in ways that could
undermine the security of Japan
and South Korea.
>> One imagines the annual joint
exercises between Japan and
South Korea would most anger the
Chinese government.
China just finished its own
exercises with Russia.
How might China respond to that?
>> What China will do is most
likely engage in behavior,
engaged in more military
exercises in Japan's
neighborhood with Russia.
And will be less of a
constraining force on north
Korea in terms of the
development of its nuclear
weapons programs.
The real concern for Japan and
South Korea is it could lead to
a real divide in Asia between
those countries that seem to be
much more dependent upon China
and the countries in Asia that
are aligned with the U.S.
>> What might this mean for
Taiwan?
The feet -- three countries have
an interest in the Taiwan strait
and east China sea.
>> Yes, certainly the camp David
statement talked about the
importance to peace and
stability in the Taiwan strait.
This is something the leaders of
Japan, the U.S., South Korea,
have already said and other
joint statements.
I think the real concern is
there might not be any kind of
restraining factor in terms of
the intensification of changes
across the Taiwan strait.
I sense in Japan and south
Korea, there is a feeling that
the United States may be
overreacting to some of the
provocations by China.
So doing might be exasperating
the tensions and ultimately
increase the danger of military
conflict.
So they would be very much
interested in having the U.S.
Engage in a serious dialogue
with China in order to stabilize
relations with China and try and
diffuse tensions across the
Taiwan strait.
>> This summit has been a real
shot in the arm for American
diplomacy.
The troubled relationship
between South Korea and Japan
has been the weak link in
Washington's efforts in the indo
pacific.
Why was the moment right now to
bring it together and how has
the Biden done it?
>> Major credit has to go to
president Yoon.
Japan and South Korea locked
intentions regarding the wartime
forced labor issue.
Japan insisted the forced labor
issue had been resolved in the
1965 normalization process.
In the end, the president made
the bold decision to basically
make a dramatic concession to
Japan and have the south Korean
spade for compensation for
forced labor.
Unfortunately, this has not been
a popular decision in south
Korea.
60% of the south Korean public
oppose the decision by the
president.
I think what he's been trying to
do is move very rapidly to
improve security relations with
Japan and the U.S. To lock in
these games so they will survive
, even after his presidential
term ends in 2027.
President Biden sees this
opportunity to move the ball
forward by inviting both the
prime minister and president to
camp David.
>> Thank you for your insight.
We appreciate it.