President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fusion Rashida opened their first formal meeting on Friday. The two countries are facing renewed concerns about North Korea's nuclear program and China's tendency to assert military power.
The virtual meeting comes as North Korea hinted earlier this week that it would resume its nuclear and long-range missile tests. Such tests were discontinued for more than three years.
On Thursday, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presided over a meeting of the ruling Workers' Party's politburo, the Korean Central News Agency reported. At the meeting, officials set, in their words, the policy goal of "immediately strengthening" their military capabilities in order to counter "hostile actions" by the United States.
Both the United States and Japan are concerned about China's growing aggression against Taiwan. China claims autonomous Taiwan as its own territory, which it is willing to occupy by force if necessary. In recent months, China has intensified military exercises around the island nation of Taiwan. China often sends warplanes near Taiwan's airspace.
Japan is concerned about China's intentions in the South China Sea. In recent years, China has increased its military presence there, and in the East China Sea. In the East China Sea, some small uninhabited islands ruled by Tokyo have long been the subject of controversy, with Beijing claiming to occupy them.
White House officials said the two leaders also discussed ongoing efforts to contain the Kovid-19 epidemic. There is also talk of an escalating crisis in Eastern Europe, where Russia has deployed 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border.
President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fusion Rashida opened their first formal meeting on Friday. The two countries are facing renewed concerns about North Korea's nuclear program and China's tendency to assert military power.
The virtual meeting comes as North Korea hinted earlier this week that it would resume its nuclear and long-range missile tests. Such tests were discontinued for more than three years.
On Thursday, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un presided over a meeting of the ruling Workers' Party's politburo, the Korean Central News Agency reported. At the meeting, officials set, in their words, the policy goal of "immediately strengthening" their military capabilities in order to counter "hostile actions" by the United States.
Both the United States and Japan are concerned about China's growing aggression against Taiwan. China claims autonomous Taiwan as its own territory, which it is willing to occupy by force if necessary. In recent months, China has intensified military exercises around the island nation of Taiwan. China often sends warplanes near Taiwan's airspace.
Japan is concerned about China's intentions in the South China Sea. In recent years, China has increased its military presence there, and in the East China Sea. In the East China Sea, some small uninhabited islands ruled by Tokyo have long been the subject of controversy, with Beijing claiming to occupy them.
White House officials said the two leaders also discussed ongoing efforts to contain the Kovid-19 epidemic. There is also talk of an escalating crisis in Eastern Europe, where Russia has deployed 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border.
You must be logged in to post a comment.