Asia-Pacific powers will cooperate against China’s BRI

Significance

The memorandum also references cooperation in digital connectivity and supply chain resilience in the Indo-Pacific, Middle East, Africa, the Western Hemisphere and Central and Eastern Europe. This is an implicit challenge to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Impacts

• Washington will take a more confrontational approach to the BRI, and Tokyo a more conciliatory one.
• Australia will deepen its involvement in joint projects with Japan and the United States, particularly in the South Pacific.
• Japan has been skilful in forming bilateral infrastructure partnerships with Quad countries, but is wary of a formal Quad partnership.
• To lower the temperature, Japan also partners with China on some joint projects, such as a railway in Thailand.
• US-Japan cooperation on overseas energy projects aims to curb their rivalry in this sector and improve competitiveness against China.