Defence Minister Bill Blair is embarking on his inaugural trip to South Korea and Japan amidst China and Russia’s plans for joint military exercises in nearby waters.
The timing of the minister’s visit coincides with China’s announcement on Sept. 9 regarding a joint military drill with Russian naval and air forces this month. The exercise is aimed at enhancing strategic military cooperation between China and Russia and bolstering their collective capacity to address security threats.
The planned drills will be conducted in the Sea of Japan, situated between Japan and the Korean Peninsula, as well as in the Sea of Okhotsk, north of Japan’s Hokkaido Island. Additionally, China will participate in Russia’s “Ocean-2024” strategic exercise.
Minister Blair’s trip from Sept. 8 to 14 is centered on enhancing defence partnerships with Indo-Pacific allies to address regional security challenges, particularly those posed by North Korea.
During his visit to South Korea, Blair made a significant stop at the demilitarized zone separating South Korea from North Korea. He is scheduled to meet with Defence Minister Kim Yong-hyun to discuss advancing defence cooperation between Canada and Korea.
In Japan, Blair will engage with Defence Minister Kihara Minoru to strengthen the defence partnership between Canada and Japan. He will also visit Canadian Armed Forces members stationed in Japan, who are actively monitoring illicit North Korean activities.
The alignment of North Korea with China and Russia has escalated tensions in the Indo-Pacific region. Their combined military activities, particularly amidst territorial and maritime disputes, have heightened security risks in the South and East China Seas, the Taiwan Strait, and the North Pacific, as outlined in Ottawa’s Indo-Pacific Strategy.
In response, Canada’s allies are fortifying their relationships to address potential security challenges.
Last December, Japan and South Korea deployed fighter jets in response to a joint China-Russia military exercise, as reported by the U.S. Naval Institute. South Korean media also noted the entry of two Chinese and four Russian military aircraft into South Korea’s air defense identification zone during the exercise.
Recent sightings of Chinese and Russian military aircraft near North American airspace have also been reported, with multiple aircraft intercepted by U.S. and Canadian fighter jets off the coast of Alaska in July.
In June, Japan and South Korea, along with the United States, united in condemning a Russia-North Korea strategic partnership pact. This pact was established during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s first state visit to Pyongyang, where discussions with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un included potential weapon supplies from Russia to North Korea, amidst Kim’s expressed support for Moscow’s foreign policy, including its ongoing incursion into Ukraine.
