Biden seeks closer ties with Japan as the U.S. prepares to challenge China

U.S. President Joe Biden will meet with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Friday — and political analysts say China’s rising affect will probably be excessive on the agenda.

The two leaders will collect in Washington in what will probably be the U.S. president’s first in-person summit with a overseas chief since his January inauguration. The assembly comes as the U.S. seeks to challenge China on points starting from human rights to unfair commerce practices.

“Rebuilding US alliances and competing with China are the core of Biden’s overseas coverage. The in-person assembly with Suga indicators that Japan is a linchpin of each efforts,” Jonathan Wood, director and lead U.S. analyst at consultancy Control Risks, instructed CNBC in an e mail.

One attainable end result of the summit is an infrastructure plan specializing in high-quality tasks such as high-speed 5G web and clear power, Nikkei Asia reported last week.

Such a U.S.-Japan infrastructure cooperation may rival China’s massive Belt and Road Initiative, the report stated.

The Belt and Road Initiative is China’s formidable program to construct bodily and digital infrastructure that connects tons of of nations from Asia to the Middle East, Africa and Europe. Many critics take into account it Chinese President Xi Jinping’s signature overseas coverage to develop his nation’s international affect.

“Establishing an alternate to China’s Belt and Road Initiative is essential to Biden’s total overseas coverage agenda in the Indo-Pacific,” Neil Thomas, an analyst in danger consultancy Eurasia Group, instructed CNBC by way of e mail.

“That’s as a result of the finest method for Washington to compete with Beijing’s financial affect in the Indo-Pacific is to supply a extra enticing growth choice to nations in the area,” he added.

Even earlier than he was elected as president, Biden had criticized China for financing dirty fossil fuel projects via the Belt and Road Initiative. He introduced up the risk of working with allies to supply different sources of financing for lower-carbon power tasks.   

Last month, Biden met virtually with leaders of the so-called Quad alliance, of which Japan is a member. Some analysts stated the casual strategic alliance — which incorporates the U.S., Australia and India — could possibly be a method to counter China’s affect.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin additionally visited Tokyo to meet with their Japanese counterparts final month.

But Japan treads a superb line between the U.S. — its principal safety companion, and China — its largest financial companion. And the potential for the U.S. and Japan to change into closer isn’t misplaced on Beijing.

Last week, China’s State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi in a telephone name that “Japan ought to view China’s growth with a extra constructive mentality.”   

Prior to Wang’s remarks, Beijing criticized the U.S.-Japan joint statement issued throughout Blinken and Austin’s go to to Tokyo. The assertion raised issues about Chinese habits in Hong Kong, Xinjiang and the South China Sea that was “inconsistent with the current worldwide order.”

Beijing shot back, saying the statement “maliciously attacks” China’s overseas coverage and “flagrantly interferes” with its home affairs.

For Japan, “balancing between the US and China proper now requires a exact understanding of the intention and scope of US measures,” stated Wood of Control Risks.

Eurasia Group’s Thomas stated Japan would cease in need of supporting U.S. place on human rights points and insurance policies to selectively “decouple” from the Chinese financial system.