US, Japan, and South Korea Align Ahead of Trump-Xi Summit

The Government of the United States, Japan, and South Korea issued a joint statement on September 21 in New York reaffirming their security commitments and support for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. The diplomatic alignment occurs ahead of a scheduled September 24 summit at the White House between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

During meetings on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi pledged to oppose economic coercion, non-market practices, and arbitrary export restrictions. The three nations launched a trilateral consultation mechanism on economic security to strengthen critical technology cooperation and supply chains. They also reaffirmed a July memorandum to accelerate the global deployment of small modular nuclear reactors under strict safety standards.

Regarding regional security, the ministers reiterated a resolute commitment to the complete denuclearization of North Korea and urged Pyongyang to resume dialogue. The U.S. described its defense commitments to South Korea and Japan as ironclad, supported by its nuclear capabilities. The coordination follows concerns from Asian allies that the U.S. might offer trade or Taiwan-related concessions to Beijing during the upcoming summit. Separately, U.S. and South Korean officials continue to negotiate a $350 billion investment package, which has faced scrutiny from South Korean opposition lawmakers.