US deputy secretary of state Kurt Campbell yesterday said that president Joe Biden and Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida will announce an “historic” agreement next week that will upgrade the security ties between both the countries. Biden will host Kishida for a state visit to the United States on April 10.
The Japanese leader will also be joined by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr. It is expected that Japan and the US will sign a trilateral agreement with the Philippines. Biden’s summit with Kishida and Marcos will be the first of its kind for the three countries.
“What you will see next week is both the culmination of a recent period of intense activity but also launching a period that really underscores that the US-Japan relationship is entering a fundamentally new phase that will both bring new capabilities to bear … [and] clear responsibilities” on how the two countries engage, Campbell is quoted as saying by the South China Morning Post.
Campbell said that all the three nations will commit to better coordination and engagement in the South China Sea. He emphasised the need for Washington to implement co-production of weapons with its allies.
“In the past, we have been … wary of certain kinds of co-production arrangements. The circumstances increasingly demand that we work with trusted allies and partners even on the most sophisticated weapons that will increasingly be part of our combined arsenals,” he noted.
Campbell stated that the Aukus coalition may consider inclusion of other countries for at least part of its undertakings.
Unveiled in September 2021, the group comprises Australia, the UK and the US. It intends to supply Australia with nuclear-powered submarines, through direct deliveries and then through joint production by co developed technology.
The AUKUS platform will also look to share among themselves advanced technologies like quantum, AI and autonomy, hypersonics and counter-hypersonics, electronic warfare, undersea warfare and cyber.
