The leaders of the United States, Japan and the Republic of Korea are launching a new era of cooperation among the three countries to build a safer and more prosperous Indo-Pacific region.

At a historic Camp David summit, President Biden, Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan and President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea announced new initiatives to further the trilateral partnership and advance security, science and technology, international development and other priorities.

“Our world stands at an inflection point,” Biden said at the leaders’ joint news conference. “A point where we’re called to lead in new ways: to work together, to stand together. And I’m proud to say our nations are answering that call.”

This was the first stand-alone summit of leaders from the United States, Japan and the Republic of Korea, and it was the first-time world leaders have visited Camp David in Maryland’s Catoctin Mountain Park since 2015. The leaders committed to holding annual summits among the three nations’ leaders and said their governments would work together on a host of issues.

Global challenges compel greater collaboration, the leaders said, and include the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s nuclear ambitions and missile testing, Russia’s illegal and unprovoked war against Ukraine, and disruptions to the rules-based international order in the South China Sea.

The new trilateral collaborations will:

  • Elevate defence cooperation with joint military exercises, greater information sharing and a commitment to consult when confronted with future challenges.
  • Pilot a new early warning system for supply chain disruptions for critical minerals, batteries or other key technologies.
  • Develop standards to guide the development of safe, secure and trustworthy emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence.
  • Advance scientific and medical research through expert exchanges, including a joint fight against cancer, and promote global health.
  • Expand financing for infrastructure development, including information and communications technology; carbon neutrality; and resilient supply chains in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.

Each of the leaders said the trilateral partnership will remain dedicated to advancing freedom, human rights and the rule of law in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. Kishida called the commitments to greater cooperation “a historic turning point for the international community.”

“A strong alliance of values among Korea, the U.S., and Japan will serve as a sturdy foundation for a world that’s more peaceful and prosperous,” Yoon said.