Despite recent US efforts to strengthen Indo-Pacific alliances, Washington's tariffs may drive Tokyo and Seoul towards closer economic ties with China Washington's abrupt pivot from championing Japan and South Korea as essential Indo-Pacific allies to slapping them with steep tariffs has not only rattled markets - it risks nudging both nations

China, Japan and South Korea agreed to jointly respond to U.S. tariffs, a social media account affiliated with Chinese state media said on Monday, an assertion Seoul called "somewhat exaggerated", while Tokyo said there was no such discussion.

China is seeking to coordinate its response to U.S. tariffs with Japan and South Korea, Chinese state media said.