When Russia invaded Ukraine halfway around the world exactly a year ago on Feb. 24, 2022, few likely thought it would leave an indelible mark on Japan’s foreign policy and spur a massive defensive buildup.
The U.S. and Vietnam have prioritized objectives for U.S.–Vietnamese relations that cannot be met in the near term. The U.S. wants greater access to Vietnamese ports for its warships and Vietnam wants the U.S. to remove restrictions on arms sales. In light of this impasse, the U.S. should focus on building an ambitious program of defense cooperation with Vietnam that will lay the groundwork for a closer strategic relationship down the road.
The inauguration of Yoon Suk Yeol as South Korea’s new president quickly led to alignment with the United States on a wide range of foreign and security policies. Yoon declared that a strong alliance with the United States would be the foundation for South Korea’s foreign relations with China and North Korea. He rejected his predecessors’ attempts to balance Seoul’s relationship with Beijing and Washington.
Japan, the United States and Australia will deepen their coordination over security strategy, their defense ministers said on Oct. 1, apparently reflecting wariness over China s growing maritime assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region.
Japan, the United States and Australia will deepen their coordination over security strategy, their defense ministers said, apparently reflecting wariness over China's growing maritime assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region. During their talks in Hawaii on Saturday, the ministers also "strongly condemned" China's ballistic missile launches across the Taiwan Strait in…