US White House Emphasizes China's Role in Halting North Korea Provocations... Strengthening Security Cooperation (Summary)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] The White House announced that at the upcoming US-China summit scheduled for the 14th, President Joe Biden will convey to Chinese President Xi Jinping that if China does not play a role in stopping North Korea's provocations, the US will have no choice but to strengthen its military presence in Northeast Asia.

Jake Sullivan, White House National Security Advisor, stated during a briefing on Air Force One en route to Cambodia with President Biden on the 11th (local time), "President Biden will express to President Xi that North Korea poses a threat not only to the peace and stability of the US, South Korea, and Japan but to the entire region."

He added, "He will also convey that if North Korea continues down this path, it means the US will have no choice but to further strengthen its military and security presence in the region."

Furthermore, he emphasized China's role by saying, "It is in China's interest to play a constructive role in restraining North Korea's worst behavior." He added, "This is because of the frequent North Korean missile tests and the looming threat of a seventh nuclear test."

Given that China has been sensitive to the US military buildup in Northeast Asia, Sullivan's remarks are interpreted as pressure on China to actively intervene to deter North Korean provocations. Currently, the US maintains approximately 28,500 troops in South Korea and about 55,000 troops in Japan.

When asked about the expected outcomes of the trilateral summit between South Korea, the US, and Japan, Sullivan responded, "What we really want to see is enhanced trilateral security cooperation among the three countries." He further explained that the scope of trilateral security cooperation "includes not only the common threat and challenges posed by North Korea, which all three countries face, but also the capacity for cooperation to strengthen overall peace and stability in the region."

This is interpreted as a hope for the three countries to cooperate not only on North Korea and nuclear issues but also to counter China in the Indo-Pacific region over issues such as the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.

He also mentioned that although not finalized, a joint statement is expected to be issued after the South Korea-US-Japan summit, saying, "The statement is expected to specify a higher level of trilateral cooperation among the three countries."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.