Biden To Rally Support From Asia Partners

He is visiting South Korea and Japan in move against assertive China, Russian aggression

- Chang May Choon and Walter Sim

United States President Joe Biden will arrive in South Korea today before heading to Japan on his first trip to Asia, in what is viewed as an attempt to rally support from regional partners to keep an increasingly assertive and hegemonic China in check.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has also led to mounting concerns, and the US will want its partners to present a united front against Russian aggression.

Experts said Mr Biden will land in Seoul with a list of demands that his newly inaugurated South Korean counterpart, the openly pro-US President Yoon Suk-yeol, appears happy to meet, such as joining the US-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) that is slated to be announced in Tokyo next week.

But they also warn that China will be watching sternly and North Korea might act up.

The first item on Mr Biden's schedule is a visit to South Korean tech giant Samsung's massive semiconductor plant in Pyeongtaek, the largest in the world. This is deemed a move to flaunt to Beijing the close ties between Washington and Samsung, amid US efforts to contain China's growing reach in chips and other tech products.

The US President will then sit down with Mr Yoon tomorrow to discuss issues such as North Korean provocations, economic security and contributions to pending international issues.