President Joe Biden’s top diplomatic and defence officials are proceeding as planned with a trip to Japan and the Philippines this week as part of a “full-steam ahead” approach to the rest of the world even after his decision to not seek a second term, officials said.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will hold so-called “2+2” meetings with their counterparts in Tokyo and Manila in trips that had been scheduled for many weeks. The visits are part of a long-term effort to reinforce the American diplomatic and military commitment to two crucial allies in the face of a more assertive Chinese stance around disputed areas of the South China Sea and East China Sea.
“A lot of things can happen in six months,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a briefing Monday. “We did in no way consider cancelling this trip because the work we are doing in the Indo-Pacific is one of our top priorities and it needs to continue.”
Biden announced Sunday that he would not pursue reelection. He told Blinken that same day he wanted his administration’s work to continue as planned, especially when it comes to national security, Miller said. He said Blinken conveyed that message to senior officials at the department on Monday.
Blinken leaves Wednesday on his trip, which will also include stops in Laos, Singapore, Mongolia and Vietnam, where he will attend the funeral of Communist Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong. The trip also coincides with the timing around the Commerce Department determination whether Vietnam is a “market economy,” which is expected around July 26.
Such a designation would open up export opportunities for the Southeast Asian nation after the two sides formally upgraded ties during Biden’s visit to Hanoi last year. The US currently classifies Vietnam as a “non-market economy,” which can be disadvantageous to Vietnamese exporters during anti-dumping petitions.
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Extended Deterrence
Austin will join Blinken in Tokyo and Manila and will also meet with officials from South Korea while in Japan. Upon returning to the US, both officials will meet with their Australian counterparts.
The talks in Tokyo will include the first minister-level discussions about the US’ long-standing commitment to use all of its military power to defend Japan, including the potential use of nuclear weapons, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel J. Kritenbrink said in a preview of the trip. The commitment is known as “extended deterrence.”
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“In the face of growing unprecedented threats in the region, the United States and Japan are going to demonstrate in a responsible way how we will stand up and ensure not just the defence of Japan but also our contribution to regional security,” Kritenbrink said.
The US and Japan plan to compile their first document about extended deterrence, Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun reported on Sunday. The report said the minister-level talks would set the direction of the document, including details on situations Japan would face in order for the US to retaliate.
