Biden emphasises on secure Indo-Pacific in calls with Australia, Japan, S Korea leaders

The 46th US President-elect Joe Biden on November 12 utilised his first calls with leaders of Japan, South Korea and Australia and reaffirmed plans to form close ties to tackle issues including climate change and regional security. Biden spoke to Japanese PM Yoshihide Suga, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Australian PM Scott Morrison. His office said that all four sides expressed their determination to strengthen bilateral ties as well as tackle global issues such as coronavirus pandemic and climate change. 

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Pandemic, climate change key themes in Biden’s call  

According to the press release, the former US vice president spoke to Australian PM Scott Morrison by telephone and thanked him for congratulations. Biden expressed his commitment to strengthening the US-Australia alliance and also spoke about emission reduction technology, though a target for zero net emissions by 2050 was not discussed. The President-elect also said that he looks forward to working closely with Morrison in many common challenges, including coronavirus pandemic and guarding global health threats, confronting climate change, laying the groundwork for the economic recovery and maintaining secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. 

Morrison, on the other hand, told reporters in Canberra, “I raised with the president-elect the similarity between the president-elect’s comments and policies regarding emissions reduction technologies that we needed to achieve that, and we look forward to working on those issues”. 

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While speaking to Japan’s Suga, Biden confirmed the importance of bilateral ties. The President-elect complimented Suga on his steady leadership amidst a governing transition for Japan. He also underscored his deep commitment to the defence of Japan and U.S. commitments under Article V, and he expressed his strong desire to strengthen the U.S.-Japan alliance even further in new areas. Suga’s office said that the President-elect said that he looks forward to strengthening the US-Japan alliance and working together on achieving a free and open Indo-Pacific. 

Biden, while speaking to South Korea’s Moon, reaffirmed the US commitment to defend the Republic of Korea, highlighting the Asia ally as a “lynchpin of the security and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region”. Moon’s spokesman Kang Min-Seok said that President Moon asked for close cooperation for the forward-looking development of the bilateral alliance and the denuclearisation and peace on the Korean Peninsula. Kang also added that President-elect Biden said he would closely cooperate to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue. 

Several global leaders, including the UK, France and Germany, have already congratulated Biden for his win, while China and Russia have so far held off. Tackling the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic and climate change were the key themes in Biden’s calls with all three leaders. Both Moon and Suga have also said that they agreed to arrange a summit with the new US President shortly after his inauguration in January. 

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