[해리스 오늘 방한] Harris meeting with the president ... Another point to watch is the 'Taiwan Strait'

Prime Minister Han Deok-soo (left), the head of the condolence delegation to the late former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (安倍晋三), meets with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, who also visited Japan to attend at the Okura Hotel in Tokyo, Japan, on the 27th. [사진=연합뉴스]]

Ahead of the meeting between President Yoon Seok-yeol and US Vice President Kamala Harris, the Taiwan Strait issue, one of the key elements of the US-China conflict, is emerging as a key agenda for strengthening the Korea-US alliance. The Taiwan Strait, which traverses between China and Taiwan Island, is called one of the 21st century ‘gunpowder stores’. China conducted military exercises whenever there was a political issue in Taiwan, while the United States sent carrier groups and battleships to create conflict.

In particular, the issue of Taiwan was mentioned on the agenda set by the US administration Joe Biden, and the US Department of Defense also hinted at the possibility of sending US troops to South Korea in the event of a Chinese military action against Taiwan. is the shape

According to the political circles on the 28th, Vice President Harris will visit South Korea on the 29th to prevent President Yoon. Vice President Harris is expected to address the Taiwan Strait issue, which is a major issue in the Indo-Pacific region between South Korea and the US. It is analyzed to be a stepping stone to strengthen the anti-Chinese front in connection with the recent conflict between the US and China. This is a strategy to strengthen ‘value diplomacy’ to keep China in check.

In a telephone briefing on the 23rd (local time), a senior Biden government official said that the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait along with the Korea-US alliance, North Korea issue, economic and technological cooperation, etc. was selected as the agenda for Vice President Harris to discuss with President Yoon. .

Former USFK commander Robert Abrams also answered in an interview with Radio Free Asia (RFA) on the 27th that when asked, “If China invades Taiwan, there is a possibility that US forces in Korea will be deployed, it is possible.”

In addition, Vice President Harris announced that he would visit the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) during his visit to Korea. Vice President Harris’ visit to the DMZ appears to be to establish a system of cooperation between South Korea and the US in response to North Korean armed provocations.

Prime Minister Han Deok-soo met with Vice President Harris on the 27th and said, “It is very symbolic to go to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) during my visit to Seoul. The White House also announced Vice President Harris’s visit to the DMZ, saying, “This visit underscores the strength of the South Korea-US alliance and the United States’ commitment to stand by South Korea’s side despite any threats posed by North Korea.”

On the other hand, there is an atmosphere of drawing a line against the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which has caused controversy over discrimination in subsidy payments for Korean electric vehicles. Prime Minister Han conveyed South Korea’s concerns regarding the IRA to Vice President Harris, who was said to have taken it seriously, but an American official who accompanied him to Japan said, “The Vice President is not going there to discuss the electric vehicle issue. “He said.