It was definitely a good idea for Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly to visit Canada’s two key allies in Northeast Asia, Japan and South Korea, in addition to her diplomatic visit to China. The two former countries have long been a focal point of Joly’s diplomacy and Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy.
The schedule gave particular importance to South Korea in that it came first in Joly’s itinerary. While Japan was the third stop, that may have been due primarily to the very busy schedule of Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko, who was travelling to Italy, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo from July 15 to 21.
Joly’s Korea visit appears to have been particularly substantive, with mutual commitments to move forward on the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership agreed to in May 2023. This joint action plan encompasses co-operation on security — including economic security — green technology and climate, cultural exchanges, and pandemic management.
However, no new concrete commitments or initiatives were announced after this recent visit, except for launching a Canada-Korea Year in 2024-25 and Canada indicating its intention to become a member of the Seoul-based International Vaccine Institute. There were discussions of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent visit to North Korea and on the security situation on the Korean Peninsula. It would be opportune for Canada and South Korea to form a joint security initiative, for example, to monitor the nuclear situation or to increase concrete co-operation in other areas.
Given the high importance South Korea places on economic security, as well as Canada’s commitment in its Indo-Pacific Strategy to co-operate with South Korea on this matter, one might expect a specific action plan related to economic security. South Korea is one of the leading countries in conceptual frameworks for economic security.
As well, it would be wise and urgent for Canada to follow up on this high-profile visit with an invitation to South Korea to participate in the G7, which Canada will be hosting in June 2025. Such an invitation was not included in the visit report.
Joly’s visit to Japan following her trip to China was also a crucial step. Japan is Canada’s oldest and most essential security, diplomatic, and trade partner in the region. The 50-minute working lunch with Minister Kamikawa included several topics under the heading of the Canada-Japan Joint Action Plan. The two ministers discussed the forthcoming G7 meeting, Indo-Pacific security issues, North Korea, the South China Sea, and, no doubt, Joly’s just completed China visit. They also discussed co-operation over a joint secure electric vehicle supply chain (with Japanese interest in investment in Canada-based hydrogen and lithium projects, among others). Japan expressed gratitude to Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans for dispatching an advanced ship for joint exercises and surveillance of illegal, unregistered and unregulated fishing. The two sides also committed to “co-operation in the areas of Women, Peace and Security (WPS) as well as in the Arctic.”
Reinforcing commitments and co-operation with our crucial allies in the region is important. Given the heightened risks currently around the South China Sea, the Korean Peninsula, and the Taiwan Strait, one might feel that the Canada-Japan relationship is underwhelming. But there is much more to do on several fronts. It might help to have one or two high-profile ‘announceables’ or projects that could capture public attention and increase momentum. For example, in the context of a possible erosion or abandonment of both the World Trade Organization and NATO by a possible Trump administration 2.0, wouldn’t we expect Canada and Japan to have much to talk about and plan for?
Source link : https://www.asiapacific.ca/publication/foreign-minister-melanie-jolys-trip-china-fellows-reactions
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Publish date : 2024-07-24 19:33:15
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