President Joe Biden will welcome Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga to the White House on Friday, the president’s first in-person bilateral meeting with a foreign leader since taking office.
China is expected to be a major focus of Friday’s visit as the Biden administration seeks to solidify its stronger stance on the country and form alliances in the region.
In a briefing Thursday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki also announced an upcoming meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-In, another U.S. ally in Asia, which is now set for the second half of May.
Psaki said China would be an important focus in both meetings, along with the U.S. desire for the denuclearization of North Korea.
“These relationships have a range of areas of cooperation. It’s an opportunity to discuss those issues in person,” she said. “And I would anticipate that China will be a part of the discussions.”
The two leaders may also discuss the COVID-19 pandemic, as Japan faces an uptick in cases just a few months ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.
The choice to welcome Japan’s prime minister as Biden’s first face-to-face meeting could send a message to China about the administration’s priorities.
In a White House Advisory, the administration said that holding the in-person meeting reflects the “importance of our bilateral relationship with Japan and our friendship and partnership with the Japanese people.”
Before leaving Japan on Thursday, Prime Minister Suga told reporters he hoped the meeting would demonstrate the prioritization of a “free and open Indo-Pacific,” according to Japanese outlet Kyodo News.
“I look forward to forming a relationship of trust with President Biden and to fortifying our alliance, which represents the universal values of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law,” he said.
The U.S. has already condemned China’s treatment of the Uyghur Muslim population and sanctioned Chinese officials for the “serious human rights abuses” and “genocide.” Japan has refrained from taking similar actions so far.
After their meeting Friday, President Biden and Prime Minister Suga are expected to give a press conference and put out a joint statement on their discussion and their common priorities going forward.
Last month, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin traveled to both Tokyo, Japan and Seoul, South Korea to speak with foreign affairs and defense officials about U.S. and bilateral priorities in the region.
