At a key moment only a week away from the voting date of the US presidential election US Secretary of State Colin Powell made a "regular yet unusual" visit to Japan, China and the Republic of Korea (ROK), which lasted from October 23 to 26. International opinion believes the sudden visit of the three Northeast Asian countries by Powell reflects the positions of China, Japan and the ROK in the US' diplomatic strategy. It is one of a few diplomatic efforts by the US government before the election, aimed at grasping the general direction of the US' Asia policy, advancing the US-China, US-Japan and US-ROK relations to a higher level after the US presidential election and gaining diplomatic points for George W. Bush's reelection.

Japan was the first leg of Powell's visit. On October 24 Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura met with Powell respectively in Tokyo. They conducted consultations on issues such as the DPRK nuclear issue, realignment of the US troops in Japan and the reconstruction of Iraq. Both sides agreed during the meeting that the six-party talks are the most realistic framework for peaceful solution of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula. The two countries should cooperate to enable a new round of the six-party talks to be held as soon as possible. Machimura said Japan would urge the DPRK to take part in a new round of the six-party talks during the working-level Japan-DPRK consultations to be held in mid November. On the realignment of the US troops stationed in Japan both sides agreed to hold minister-level " senior strategic dialogue." Regarding the reconstruction of Iraq the two sides said they would cooperate to make sure that the Iraqi election scheduled in January next year be held as planned.

After the conclusion of his visit to Japan on Sunday Powell flew to China. On October 25 Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao held meetings with Powell respectively. Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and Powell exchanged opinions on the China-US relations, regional and international issues of common concern.

Grasping the general direction of the China-US relations and the Taiwan question is the main content of Powell's meeting with the Chinese leadership during his visit. Powell said at the meeting with the Chinese leaders that the US-China relations have made great progress based on mutual respect and joint cooperation during the past nearly four years. Both sides have kept close contact at various levels. President Bush and the US government attach great importance to developing the mutually beneficial cooperation relationship between the two countries, and to the constructive role of China in major international issues. The US would continue to stick to the one-China policy and oppose any action aimed at achieving "Taiwan independence." Regarding the solution of the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula China and the United States reached common understanding on the necessity of holding the fourth round six-party talks as soon as possible.

On October 25 Powell left Beijing for the Republic of Korea. On October 26 ROK President Roh Moo-hyun, Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon and Unification Minister Chung Dong-young held separate meetings with Powell. The two sides exchanged opinions on the six-party talks, realignment of the US troops in the ROK and Iraq. With regard to the six-party talks the two sides reached common understanding to strive for an early holding of the six-party talks. Powell said during his meeting with President Roh Moo-hyun that the US has no intention of attacking the DPRK and tries to hold the six-party talks as soon as possible after the presidential election. The US thanks the ROK for sending troops to Iraq and is looking for further cooperation.

During Powell's visit ROK Defense Minister Yoon Kwang-ung and Leon J. LaPorte, commander of the United States Forces Korea (USFK), signed three accords including an agreement to relocate the US Yongsan Garrison. According to the accords the United Nations Command (UNC), Combined Forces Command (CFC) and the USFK stationed in the center of Seoul will be relocated to Pyeongtaek, a town in mid ROK, by the year 2008.

Powell's visit to the three countries clearly and definitely conveys the message: in the US' global and Asian strategy China, Japan and the ROK have rather important positions and the US' China, Japan and ROK policies would keep a stable and developing trend after the election. On the DPRK nuclear issue Powell and the three countries reached common understanding to strive for early holding of the six-party talks after the US presidential election. On the question of Iraq the US obtained consent from the ROK and Japan. It may be said that Powell's visit to the three countries made "distinct contributions" to displaying the steadily developing diplomatic relations between the US and China, Japan and the ROK, and to creating a favorable environment for the domestic election.

Many analysts believe on the eve of the US presidential election the US should, with its actual action, maintain dialogue and cooperation with other countries on a series of bilateral, multilateral, regional and international issues, whether it is President Bush who wins reelection or John Kerry who replaces him. This is extremely important for maintaining the peace, stability and development of Asia or even the world as a whole.

(People's Daily October 28, 2004)