With only two months left until the U.S. election, polls show a fierce competition between Harris and Trump, making it unpredictable who will take over the White House. In light of this, many countries in the Indo-Pacific region are actively formulating diplomatic plans, hoping to immediately hold high-level meetings with the elected president after the U.S. election concludes.
The Indo-Pacific region is a top priority area for the United States, and any shift in diplomatic policy could have significant implications for its key allies and partners. Many Indo-Pacific countries are looking to understand how the new government will address strategic competition with China, and whether it will continue the policies of the previous administration to strengthen alliances and partnerships.
To this end, many embassies have drafted diplomatic plans for their leaders to visit Washington to meet with Harris after the election, or visit Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Florida.
“Nikkei Asia” pointed out that Japan and South Korea are making plans to ensure they can quickly meet with the next U.S. president after the November election. During that time, there will be several summits in the Americas, anticipated to be a good opportunity for meetings.
On September 27, the Liberal Democratic Party will hold a leadership election, where the next Prime Minister of Japan will be chosen. The new prime minister is expected to visit Peru around November 15-16 to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders Summit, then participate in the G20 Summit in Brazil on November 18-19.
An official from the Japanese embassy told “Nikkei Asia” that Japan hopes the new prime minister can visit the United States after the G20 Summit to meet with the elected president.
An official from the South Korean Embassy in the U.S. also confirmed that Seoul is seeking to have a meeting with Harris or Trump “as soon as possible.”
In 2016, then-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Trump in New York just 9 days after Trump won the election, becoming the first world leader to meet with Trump. At that time, Abe reportedly deepened their relationship by presenting Trump with a golden Japanese golf club.
An official from the Indian embassy also stated that India is actively seeking meetings with both U.S. presidential candidates, but did not disclose whether a meeting with Prime Minister Modi would take place before the U.S. presidential inauguration in January.
Chinese President Xi Jinping plans to have a phone call with Biden before the election, but it is uncertain whether Xi will directly engage with Biden at the APEC Summit and G20 Summit.
White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said on Thursday in Beijing that both Biden and Xi are likely to attend the APEC and G20 Summits, noting that a sit-down between them is a natural possibility if they both attend.
Sullivan stated, “We still need to wait for confirmation or announcement, but I think things are pointing in that direction, which seems reasonable.”
Rick Waters, Managing Director for Eurasia Group China and former Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. State Department, mentioned that if Harris wins the election, she may replace Biden at the G20 Summit in Rio.
Waters added, “Regardless of whom the U.S. sends, talks with the Chinese side may take place.”
Earlier this week, the “Financial Times” reported, citing sources familiar with the matter, that Beijing had tried several times to establish contact with Trump’s campaign team, but all attempts ended in failure.
Eight sources familiar with the situation from both the U.S. and China indicated that the Chinese side even sent former Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. Cui Tiankai to initiate contact, but these attempts at outreach largely failed.
Steve Yates, Chairman of the China Policy Initiative at the American Council on Foreign Policy, told the “Financial Times” that meetings between the Trump team and Chinese officials were of “almost no benefit.”
Yates mentioned that Trump’s views on China are well-known, and there is a risk of being “misunderstood” during a meeting. He added that the former president’s campaign team is now focused on winning in November.