Page 85 - Trilateral Korea Japan U.S. Cooperation

How to Exploit China’s Weakness?

There are four steps to dealing with China’s political warfare
strategy toward the Korean Peninsula. The first is to recognize
the strategy, the second is to understand it, the third is
to expose it, and the fourth is to inoculate South Korean,
Japanese, and U.S. political leaders and population against the
strategy. This paper has sought to provide brief insights into
the Chinese strategy. The remainder will present some ways to
attack the strategy based on the identified weaknesses.

The most important counter is to continue to develop
trilateral South Korea, Japan and U.S. cooperation that
16
was begun at Camp David in August 2023. China has
telegraphed its fear of a trilateral alliance. Therefore, the
three countries should continue to improve coordination
and cooperation and maintain preparations for a three-way
alliance while recognizing that there are remaining historical
and cultural challenges. The three nations should continue
the development of trilateral cooperation in all areas from
security to economic and diplomatic arenas. Since China
fears alliances they should also expand the “mini-laterals”
that have been established in the region such as the QUAD
(Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or QSD) and AUKUS

16 Statements and Releases, “Camp David Principles,” The White House, August 18, 2023, https://www.
whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/08/18/camp-david-principles/ . See also,
Statements and Releases, “The Spirit of Camp David: Joint Statement of Japan, the Republic of Korea,
and the United States,” The White House, August 18, 2023, https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/
statements-releases/2023/08/18/the-spirit-of-camp-david-joint-statement-of-japan-the-republic-of-
korea-and-the-united-states/

84 Section I : North Korea-China Relations: How and Why Does Beijing Protect and Empower Pyongyang?