Earlier this month, as President Biden conducted meetings in Washington with the leaders of Japan and the Philippines, a US carrier strike group, together with forces from South Korea and Japan, engaged in joint military exercises, as reported by the Associated Press. These initiatives aimed to reinforce the unity among the United States and its Indo-Pacific allies amidst growing military activities by China and North Korea.
The exercises, spearheaded by the USS Theodore Roosevelt and incorporating a Japanese warship alongside US and South Korean destroyers, occurred in the contested waters of the East China Sea—a region claimed by China.
Rear Admiral Christopher Alexander, commander of Carrier Strike Group Nine, noted that the drills included various operations such as undersea warfare, search and rescue, and maritime interdiction. Alexander emphasized that these exercises were crucial for enhancing communication between the US and its allies in the Indo-Pacific, preparing them for potential regional crises.
On the diplomatic front, tensions flared as China’s Foreign Ministry voiced “serious concern and strong dissatisfaction” on April 12 through its director-general of Asian affairs, following discussions between Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the White House. Beijing has previously accused the United States and Japan of defaming China and has called for them to cease activities that threaten regional peace and stability.
The military drills also signaled a thawing in relations between South Korea and Japan, historically marred by the legacy of Japan’s colonization of the Korean Peninsula. With escalating threats from China and North Korea, Washington has been advocating for increased cooperation between these two nations.
The focus of the military exercises was to enhance the collective defense capabilities against potential aggressions from North Korea, including conducting anti-submarine drills and training on maritime interdiction, as stated by the South Korean Navy.
