US, Japan, South Korea Discuss Efforts To Promote Peace And Security In Indo-Pacific

KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 (Bernama) -- United States, Japan and South Korea on Wednesday discussed combined efforts to promote peace, security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific based upon shared values of defending freedom, championing economic opportunity, upholding human rights, and respecting the rule of law. The matter was discussed among US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman, Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Mori Takeo, and South Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong Kun in trilateral talks in Tokyo on Wednesday. US State Department spokesperson Ned Price, in a press release, said the Deputy Secretary and the two vice foreign ministers reiterated opposition to all activities that undermine, destabilise, or threaten the rules-based international order and also affirmed the need to maintain an inclusive, free, and open Indo-Pacific. They also opposed any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East China Sea and pledged to maintain peace and stability, lawful unimpeded commerce, and respect for international law, including freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea and beyond. “The discussion also emphasised the importance of preserving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” Price said. According to the press release, the US Deputy Secretary of State and the two vice foreign ministers reaffirmed support for ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN-led regional architecture. “They also discussed efforts to support the people of Burma (Myanmar) in promoting a return to democracy,” he added. They also discussed the shared commitment of the United States, Japan, and South Korea to work towards the complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and their intent to address the threat posed by the nuclear and ballistic missile programmes of North Korea. During the meeting, Sherman, Takeo and Choi committed to deepening trilateral cooperation to address the global challenges of the 21st century, including the climate crisis, pandemic response, and economic resilience and recovery. -- BERNAMA