NEW YORK — US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met the foreign ministers of Japan and South Korea on Monday as Washington’s Asian allies sought clarity ahead of President Donald Trump’s planned summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The talks with Japan’s Toshimitsu Motegi and South Korea’s Cho Hyun took place in New York ahead of the United Nations General Assembly, where Trump, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung are scheduled to speak on Tuesday.
Tokyo and Seoul are concerned that Washington could offer Beijing concessions on Taiwan or trade in exchange for an economic agreement. Analysts said even a limited reduction in trade barriers for China could affect the competitiveness of US allies.
Trump is due to host Xi at the White House on Thursday. Both Japan and South Korea are seeking meetings with the US president during the UN gathering.
Seoul is also negotiating details of a US$350 billion investment package linked to a trade agreement reached last year. A South Korean opposition lawmaker has called for parliamentary scrutiny of the package, warning that energy-related negotiations could expose the country to disproportionate financial risks.
Japan, meanwhile, is closely monitoring the summit after Takaichi previously angered Beijing by suggesting that Tokyo could be drawn into a conflict over Taiwan.