Politics
Indo-Pacific alignment against China still elusive despite Biden trip
U.S. President Joe Biden's trip to Asia sought to put on full display the robust bilateral alliances with Japan and South Korea, as well as the evolving Quad partnership with Japan, Australia and India in the face of the looming security threats and economic challenges posed by China. But the… Read
In Asia, Biden pushed values he struggles to sell at home
Joe Biden spent his first trip to Asia as president strengthening economic and military commitments. He pushed new rules for the global economy and promoted democracy in launching a new trade pact. And he summoned fellow Indo-Pacific leaders to do more in defense of Ukraine even if it causes their… Read
Japan says China, Russia jets flew nearby as Quad met
Chinese and Russian fighter jets carried out joint flights near Japan on Tuesday as leaders of the Quad bloc met in Tokyo, the Japanese defense minister said. Nobuo Kishi said the government had expressed "grave concerns" to Russia and China over the flights, which took place while leaders from the… Read
Japan, Australia leaders eye stronger defense ties
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and new Australian leader Anthony Albanese agreed Tuesday to deepen bilateral defense and security cooperation, as both nations confront the challenges posed by the rise of an assertive China in the Indo-Pacific region. In their first in-person meeting since Albanese was sworn in as Australia's… Read
Quad leaders oppose change in status quo by force; Indo-Pacific to get $50 bil in aid
The leaders of Japan, the United States, Australia and India on Tuesday vowed to extend more than $50 billion in infrastructure aid and investment in the Indo-Pacific over the next five years, while making clear that a change of status quo by force anywhere is unacceptable in the wake of… Read
Japan hosts Quad summit seeking unity on countering China
Leaders of Japan, India, Australia and the United States met in Tokyo on Tuesday, looking to put China on notice as it expands its military and economic influence in the region. The summit of the grouping known as the Quad comes a day after U.S. President Joe Biden said Washington… Read
Biden urges N Korea to right 'historic wrong' of abductions of Japanese
U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday urged North Korea to correct the "historic wrong" of its past abductions of Japanese nationals in the 1970s and 1980s, and to fully explain the situations of those still unaccounted for. In a meeting in Tokyo with the families of Japanese who were abducted… Read
Kishida announces Hiroshima as host city for G7 summit in 2023
Japan will host a 2023 summit of the Group of Seven nations in Hiroshima, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Monday, believing the city, devastated by the world's first atomic bomb attack, is a fitting choice to send a message of peace. The move was backed by U.S. President Joe Biden,… Read
China voices firm opposition to Biden's remarks on Taiwan
China on Monday voiced firm opposition to U.S. President Joe Biden's stated commitment to defending Taiwan if the mainland attempts to seize the self-ruled island by force, in a fresh sign that tensions between the world's two major powers may escalate. "China expresses strong dissatisfaction with and firm opposition to… Read
What's in Biden's proposed new Asia trade pact?
President Joe Biden faced a dilemma on trade in Asia: He couldn't just rejoin the Trans-Pacific Partnership that his predecessor had pulled the U.S. out of in 2017. Many related trade deals, regardless of their content, had become politically toxic for U.S. voters, who associated them with job losses. So… Read
