Seoul mulls joining another US-led initiative in Pacific aimed at checking China

Posted on : 2022-09-21 17:34 KST Modified on : 2022-09-21 17:34 KST
Seoul’s top diplomat is poised to attend a meeting of foreign ministers from states belonging to the Partners in the Blue Pacific initiative while in New York
US President Joe Biden holds up a glass to South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol during a banquet marking the former’s arrival in Korea for a state visit in May 2022. (courtesy of presidential office)
US President Joe Biden holds up a glass to South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol during a banquet marking the former’s arrival in Korea for a state visit in May 2022. (courtesy of presidential office)

South Korea, France and Germany are reportedly considering joining Partners in the Blue Pacific (PBP), an initiative created by the US, Japan, the UK, Australia and New Zealand in order to hold China in check. The South Korean Foreign Ministry confirmed the report, saying that “the matter is being looked into, although nothing has been decided yet.”

Quoting multiple government officials, Japan’s Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reported on Tuesday that “a foreign ministers’ meeting for the initiative’s five member countries has been scheduled in step with the UN General Assembly in New York. Arrangements are being made for three countries including South Korea to attend as observers.”

The newspaper added that the initiative is attempting to “increase the number of member countries in order to strengthen its net of encirclement around China.” The foreign ministers’ meeting for PBP members will take place in New York on Thursday.

An official at the South Korean Foreign Ministry commented, “Nothing has been decided yet, but as South Korea seeks to be a global hub state, strengthening reciprocal cooperation with Pacific island countries is important. We are open to supporting such initiatives.”

Based on the South Korean Foreign Ministry’s attitude, it seems likely that South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin, who is currently visiting New York, will attend the gathering of foreign ministers on Thursday. If South Korea joins the PBP, the country will be participating in its second partnership targeting China since the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, which it joined in late May.

As to why South Korea and other countries are considering joining the PBP, the Yomiuri Shimbun explained that “France is on full alert regarding China’s maritime ventures because of French New Caledonia in the south Pacific, while Germany is also strengthening its involvement in the Indo-Pacific region.”

Regarding South Korea, the newspaper said, “The Yoon administration is keeping its distance from China while making an effort to strengthen its relationship with the US.”

During a forum hosted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace on Monday, Kurt Campbell, the White House coordinator for the Indo-Pacific, revealed that US State Secretary Antony Blinken will be holding a PBP meeting on Thursday. He added that a few additional countries will join the initiative, although he didn’t specify their names. Campbell stressed that close cooperation between countries sharing similar positions — as exemplified in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), AUKUS (Australia, UK, US), and the Quad (Australia, India, Japan, US) — is necessary in order to respond to pending issues in the Pacific region.

Five countries including the US kickstarted the PBP this past June in order to strengthen their economic and diplomatic cooperation with Pacific island countries. The move can be interpreted as one designed not only to respond to pending issues facing Pacific island countries, such as rising sea levels due to climate change, but also to contain China’s increasing influence in the region. US President Joe Biden will be holding his first summit with Pacific island countries in Washington, DC, from Sept. 28 to Sept. 29.

By Kim So-youn, Tokyo correspondent

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