Sydney | US President-elect Joe Biden spoke by telephone on Thursday with three leaders of allied countries in Asia to whom he pledged to maintain mutual defense pacts and restore relations that have weakened under Donald Trump’s presidency .
In the aftermath of a series of appeals made by Mr Biden to EU leaders, the former vice-president met with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and the Prime Minister Japanese Yoshihide Suga.
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These three leaders had already congratulated him on his recent victory in the presidential election which Mr. Trump refuses to recognize.
In his conversation with Mr. Biden, Mr. Suga issued a stern warning about “the increasingly serious security situation in the region,” according to a report from Japanese authorities.
Following the warning, Biden expressed his “deep commitment to the defense of Japan” and the obligations to which these two countries are bound by treaties, according to the presidential transition team.
During the four years of the Trump administration, U.S. allies in Asia often questioned the president’s willingness to honor Washington’s commitments in the event of an international military conflict.
In a move likely to provoke a reaction from Beijing, Biden reportedly confirmed that defense commitments include the uninhabited Senkaku / Diaoyu islets, which Tokyo and Beijing have been disputing for decades.
In an appeal to Mr. Moon, the future tenant of the White House would have described the alliance between the United States and South Korea as “the pillar of security and prosperity” in the region. He is also said to have pledged to collaborate on “common issues” such as North Korea and climate change.
Mr. Trump had considered withdrawing US troops from Japan and South Korea, where some 28,500 US troops are stationed to protect it from North Korea.
During his telephone conversation with the Australian Prime Minister, Mr Biden reportedly stressed the importance of “dealing with climate change” when the Conservative government is accused of delay in putting in place measures to combat this phenomenon.
Mr. Morrison called the call “very warm” and said that Mr. Biden had not raised the issue of carbon neutrality but rather “technologies” that allow lower emissions.