US President Barack Obama is to use an Asian tour beginning this week to bolster Washington’s alliances in the region at a time of increased geopolitical tension.
Obama is scheduled to visit Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines, and will be under duress to address maritime territorial disputes between US allies and China.
Obama aides on Friday said he would restate the US’ staunch support for its friends, underline its role as a Pacific power and seek to reassure the region that his “rebalancing” to Asia strategy is not running out of steam.
The US president is set to travel to Asia on Tuesday, but is likely to remain preoccupied by simmering foreign policy crises elsewhere, especially in Ukraine and in the Middle East.
“The president’s trip to Asia is an important opportunity to underscore our continued focus on the Asia-Pacific region,” US National Security Adviser Susan Rice said.
During his trip, Obama is to emphasize that Washington wants maritime disputes in the South and East China seas settled peacefully, in accordance with the rule of law, Rice said.
Washington does not take a position on the various territorial claims of regional powers, but has in the past angered Beijing by suggesting that these claims should be solved multilaterally.
China prefers to discuss the maritime rows bilaterally with individual nations, probably because this is a more advantageous format for the Asian giant to wield its significant size and influence.
Obama’s trip will be his first to the region since Beijing declared an air defense identification zone in the South China Sea last year, which the US and other nations have branded as illegitimate.
The US president is to begin his fifth official trip to Asia in a state visit to Japan on Wednesday, when he has a private dinner scheduled with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
The next day, after an official ceremony at the Imperial Palace and then formal talks, he is to hold a press conference with Abe.
After several engagements during the day, including a meeting with business leaders, Obama is to attend a state dinner hosted by Japanese Emperor Akihito.
In Seoul, Obama is to hold talks with South Korean President Park Geun-hye that focus on North Korea’s belligerence. The US president will also attempt to ease tensions between Seoul and Tokyo stoked by territorial spats and wartime grievances.
Deputy US National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said Obama will also address the US-South Korean Combined Forces Command and be briefed on efforts to meet North Korean “provocations.”
Obama is then to travel to Malaysia before heading to the Philippines on April 28 for talks with Philippine President Benigno Aquino III.
The US president is to hold a joint press conference with Aquino in Manila, be the guest of honor at a state dinner and lay a wreath at the Philippines’ World War II US cemetery.
Taiwan yesterday said it was looking forward to attending an upcoming memorial in Japan to mark the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, a day after the Japanese city said it had retracted its previous decision to not invite Taiwan to the event. The case has been dealt with by Taiwan’s representative office in Fukuoka and the Nagasaki City Government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The ministry would decide who to send to the Aug. 9 event once it receives the invitation, it added. The ministry made the remarks following a Japanese media report on Saturday that said Nagasaki Mayor
LANDMARK: Taiwan and Haiti are set to mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year, the president said, adding that the two would deepen bilateral ties President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday pledged continued support for Haiti, particularly in food aid and healthcare, as the Caribbean nation faces ongoing social and economic challenges. Speaking at a meeting with Haitian Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Victor Harvel Jean-Baptiste, Lai said Taiwan would step up bilateral cooperation to help improve Haiti’s social infrastructure. Taiwan would continue supporting Haiti through initiatives aimed at improving healthcare, food security and overall development, he said. Taiwan and Haiti are set to mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year, the president said, adding that the two nations would continue to support each other and deepen bilateral
UNILATERAL: The move from China’s aviation authority comes despite a previous 2015 agreement that any changes to flight paths would be done by consensus The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday slammed Beijing for arbitrarily opening the M503 flight route’s W121 connecting path, saying that such unilateral conduct disrespected the consensus between both sides and could destabilize the Taiwan Strait and the wider region. The condemnation came after the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) earlier yesterday announced it “has activated the W121 connecting path of the M503 flight route,” meaning that west-to-east flights are now permitted along the path. The newly activated west-to-east route is intended to “alleviate the pressure caused by the increase of flights,” China’s state-run Xinhua news agency quoted China’s Taiwan Affairs Office
STRONG WINDS: Without the Central Mountain Range as a shield, people should be ready for high-speed winds, CWA weather forecaster Liu Yu-chi said Danas was yesterday upgraded to a typhoon and could grow stronger as it moves closely along the nation’s west coastline, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Hsinchu and Chiayi cities, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as Hsinchu, Miaoli, Changhua, Yunlin, Nantou, Chiayi, Penghu and Pingtung counties have canceled work and school today. Work and school in Keelung, Taipei, New Taipei City and Taoyuan, and Yilan, Taitung, Hualien, Kinmen and Lienchiang (Matsu) counties would continue as usual, although offices and schools would be closed in Taoyuan’s Luju (蘆竹), Dayuan (大園), Guangyin (觀音) and Sinwu (新屋) districts. As of 5pm yesterday, the typhoon’s
RSS