Jul 29. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The governments of the United States and Japan have agreed on Sunday to increase their cooperation in defense and other related fields in the face of “destabilizing” actions by China in the region, a country that they have put as the main protagonist of their concerns in Asia without forgetting Russia and North Korea.
These conclusions came after a meeting held in Tokyo between the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken; the Secretary of Defense, Austin Lloyd; and their respective Japanese counterparts, Yoko Kamikawa and Minoru Kihara, who have recognized the aforementioned countries as a “threat” to the vision and values of their alliance.
“The Ministers reaffirmed the continued commitment of the United States and Japan to uphold and protect, side by side, the free and open international order based on the rule of law and to redouble our work with allies and partners in pursuit of this goal. (…) Given the increasingly dire security environment brought on by recent moves by regional actors, the United States has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to defending Japan (…) using its full range of capabilities, including nuclear,” reads a joint statement.
Tokyo, for its part, has pledged to continue strengthening its defence capabilities and to improve its already “close coordination” with Washington, in line with the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security and the Guidelines for Defence Cooperation between the two countries, while the White House has welcomed Japan’s recent efforts in defence matters.
CHINA AS A MAIN CONCERN
During the meeting, the ministers have pointed to China for seeking to “reshape the international order for its own benefit and at the expense of others” through “political, economic and military coercion of countries, companies and civil society” and “military modernization through the diversion of technology.”
They also reiterated their opposition to Beijing’s “increasingly intensified” attempts to “unilaterally” change the status quo in the South China Sea, where sovereignty over several islands and maritime zones is disputed with Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam and other countries in the region.
“This behavior is of grave concern to the Alliance and the entire international community and represents the greatest strategic challenge in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond,” they added.
Washington and Tokyo have also expressed concern about the “rapid expansion” of Beijing’s nuclear arsenal, given its “lack of transparency” in this regard and its refusal to acknowledge it.
“China’s destabilizing actions in this region include dangerous maneuvers at sea and in the air, efforts to disrupt other countries’ exploitation of marine resources, as well as the dangerous use of Coast Guard and Navy vessels,” they said, while recalling an international court arbitration in 2016 that found Chinese claims lacking legal basis.
The ministers discussed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, their concerns about the dismantling of Hong Kong’s autonomy, and human rights issues in the country, especially in the regions of Xinjiang and Tibet.
CONDEMNATION OF NORTH KOREA AND RUSSIA
The meeting also served to condemn once again North Korea’s launches of ballistic missiles in recent months, the “number of which is alarming” and which constitute a violation of UN Security Council resolutions, as well as its nuclear programme and rhetoric.
They reiterated their commitment to the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and urged UN members to ensure the implementation of resolutions and sanctions against Pyongyang.
In this regard, they have also criticised the recent military cooperation treaties between North Korea and Russia, especially in the acquisition of weapons to be used in Ukraine in “direct violation” of Security Council resolutions.
“The actions of Russia and North Korea have a destabilizing impact on global and Indo-Pacific security. The Ministers stressed that the outcome of the recent Russia-North Korea Summit (…) should be of grave concern in the interests of maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, upholding the global nonproliferation regime, and supporting the people of Ukraine in their defense of freedom and independence in the face of brutal Russian aggression,” they said.
They have also expressed concern about military cooperation between Russia and China, as well as their joint operations and exercises in the vicinity of Japan.
Add Comment