Thinking About China
Opinion

US Security Alliances in Asia Get Stronger

US Security Alliances in Asia Get Stronger
Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korea's President Yoon Suk-yeol attend a meeting at the prime minister's official residence in Tokyo, Japan, on March 16, 2023. Kiyoshi Ota/Pool via Reuters
Richard A. Bitzinger
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Commentary

It seems that China has been able to accomplish something that 70 years of U.S. diplomacy could never achieve: push Japan and South Korea closer toward something like a strategic partnership. Earlier this month, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol flew to Tokyo to meet with his Japanese counterpart, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida—the first official visit of a South Korean president to Tokyo in twelve years.

Richard A. Bitzinger
Richard A. Bitzinger
Author
Richard A. Bitzinger is an independent international security analyst. He was previously a senior fellow with the Military Transformations Program at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) in Singapore, and he has held jobs in the U.S. government and at various think tanks. His research focuses on security and defense issues relating to the Asia-Pacific region, including the rise of China as a military power, and military modernization and arms proliferation in the region.
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