The strength of these alliances depends on whether Trump views Tokyo and Seoul as bulwarks against China’s rise or vassals that can be extorted for financial gain.

China, Japan and South Korea agreed to jointly respond to U.S. tariffs, a social media account affiliated with Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said on Monday. The comments came after the three countries held their first economic dialogue in five years on Sunday,

China, Japan, and South Korea made a rare show of public cooperation to combat President Donald Trump’s tariffs on foreign goods. The countries are looking to offset costs associated with Trump’s steep tariffs on automobile imports,