[VOA 뉴스] ‘중국 부상’ 한일 등과 협력 대응…‘확장억제’ 현실적 검토

Christopher Landau, the nominee for U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, emphasized that the United States must cooperate with Indo-Pacific nations, including South Korea and Japan, to counter the rise of China. Elbridge Colby, the nominee for Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, stressed the importance of the U.S.-South Korea alliance and stated that he would realistically review extended deterrence in response to the serious North Korean threat. Reporter Lee Jo-eun reports. (Video editing: Jo Myeong-su) #ResponseToChina #SenateConfirmationHearing #SenateArmedForcesCommittee #ElbridgeColby #VOANews #VOA #VOANewsToday Christopher Landau, the nominee for Deputy Secretary of State, who appeared before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee for his confirmation hearing, defined China as the most critical geopolitical challenge. He pointed out that China has risen economically and militarily over the past 30 years, becoming a major strategic competitor to the United States. He further emphasized that cooperation with regional allies, such as South Korea and Japan, is necessary to counter the rise of China. Christopher Landau / Nominee for U.S. Deputy Secretary of State “There are countries in the region that have a great interest in responding to the rise of China and working closely with the United States. We certainly have several organizations. We have our closest allies, Japan, South Korea, and ASEAN. The United States also has the Quad with India, Australia, and Japan.” Nominee Landau emphasized that cooperation with all countries in the Indo-Pacific region to counter the rise of China, particularly commercial diplomacy, must be restored as a core element of U.S. foreign policy. Christopher Landau / Nominee for U.S. Deputy Secretary of State “Frankly, I think for too long the United States has failed to realize the importance of the economy in foreign policy and trade practices.” Nominee Landau also noted that the United States is recording a massive trade deficit with foreign countries and stated that we must work closely with the private sector to open up new markets for U.S. goods and services, outpace foreign competitors, and attract foreign investment to the United States. Matthew Widigger, the nominee for Ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), also appeared at his confirmation hearing and pointed out the growing threats from North Korea, China, Russia, and Iran, stating that NATO allies must increase their defense spending to at least 5% of their respective GDPs. Matthew Widigger / NATO Ambassador Nominee “Russia and Ukraine are at war. China is expanding its military influence. Rogue states like Iran and North Korea continue to destabilize global security. Furthermore, terrorist organizations still harbor intentions to attack the West.” Meanwhile, at the Senate Armed Forces Committee, Elbridge Colby, the nominee for Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, appeared at his confirmation hearing and cited South Korea as a strong U.S. ally. He emphasized that the U.S. maintains very strong alliances with Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines, particularly regarding the containment of China in the Indo-Pacific. However, citing South Korea's political situation, he expressed doubts about the sustainability of the trilateral alliance between the U.S., South Korea, and Japan. Elbridge Colby / Nominee for U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy “I visited Korea early last year. In some respects, I view the trilateral alliance between the United States, Japan, and Korea as encouraging. However, looking at the political situation in Korea over the past six to eight months, it is unclear whether this will continue. Multilateral organizations require a significant amount of groundwork and political capital.” In his written response, Nominee Colby also stated that the U.S.-Korea alliance is critical to U.S. interests and serves as a cornerstone in establishing the U.S. geopolitical position in Asia. Regarding extended deterrence, he noted that both the United States and Korea face serious North Korean threats. He emphasized that the strategic posture defending the U.S. and Korea must be maintained in a credible and steadfast manner, and that there must be a frank and realistic approach to the nature of the threats and the burden-sharing among allies. Regarding the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) to the South Korean military, he stated that while sensitive issues must be carefully reviewed, President Donald Trump has a diplomatic vision of empowering capable and motivated allies like Korea, and that he supports efforts to strengthen Korea's role. This is Jo-eun Lee from VOA News. --------------------------------------------- » Watch more VOA Korean YouTube videos:    / voakorea   VOA is the largest international broadcaster in the United States, providing radio, TV, web, and mobile content in 49 languages ​​across more than 100 cou...