U.S., Japan lambast China for ‘destabilizing’ region

U.S., Japan lambast China for ‘destabilizing’ region | Daily Tribune

The United States and Japan launched sharp verbal assaults on China and Russia on Sunday following high-level talks aimed at bolstering defense ties between Tokyo and Washington amid rising regional instability.

A joint statement after the “2+2” talks involving US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and their Japanese counterparts highlighted that China’s “foreign policy seeks to reshape the international order for its own benefit at the expense of others.”

The statement emphasized strong objections to the PRC’s “unlawful maritime claims, militarization of reclaimed features, and threatening and provocative activities in the South China Sea.”

China’s “destabilizing actions in this region include unsafe encounters at sea and in the air, efforts to disrupt other countries’ offshore resources exploitation, as well as the dangerous use of Coast Guard and maritime militia vessels,” it continued.

The joint statement also addressed concerns about China’s “ongoing and rapid expansion of its nuclear weapons arsenal, which continues without any transparency regarding its intent and which the PRC refuses to acknowledge, despite publicly available evidence.”

Attention was also drawn to Russia, with the statement noting “Russia’s growing and provocative strategic military cooperation with the PRC, including through joint operations and drills in the vicinity of Japan, and the PRC’s support for Russia’s defense industrial base.”

54,000 troops

The document condemned “deepening Russia-North Korea cooperation, exemplified by Russia’s procurement of ballistic missiles and other war materiel from North Korea in direct violation of UNSCRs (UN Security Council resolutions) for use against Ukraine.”

The statement, released after Blinken’s and Austin’s discussions with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa and Defense Minister Minoru Kihara, confirmed plans to establish a new Joint Force Headquarters in Japan, led by a three-star US commander, for the 54,000 military personnel stationed there.

This headquarters will act as a counterpart to Japan’s planned Joint Operations Command, enhancing military responsiveness in the event of a crisis over Taiwan or the Korean peninsula.

Currently, US forces in Japan report to Indo-Pacific Command in Hawaii, located 6,500 kilometers (4,000 miles) away and 19 hours behind.

The statement described the US-Japan alliance as “the cornerstone of peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.”

Japan has been gradually shedding its strict pacifist stance, increasing defense spending, and acquiring “counterstrike” capabilities. President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida declared a “new era” in cooperation at a summit in the White House in April.

Japan and the Philippines recently signed a defense pact that allows troop deployment on each other’s territory, following the first trilateral summit between the leaders of Japan, the Philippines, and the United States in Washington.

Japan and South Korea, similar to the Philippines, have also been mending ties over World War II, with Biden hosting both countries’ leaders at Camp David last August.

Trilateral talks

Before the Japan-US “2+2” meeting, Austin and Kihara held trilateral talks with Shin Won-sik, the first South Korean defense minister to visit Japan in 15 years. They signed a memorandum of cooperation to enhance ties, including information sharing and trilateral exercises.

“Trilateral cooperation among Japan, the United States and South Korea has become stronger and unshakable even under various changes in the international situation,” Kihara told reporters.

The talks also focused on enhancing Washington’s “extended deterrence” commitment to use its military capabilities, including nuclear weapons, to protect Japan.

China’s military modernization, North Korea’s nuclear and missile developments, and nuclear threats in the Ukraine war have unsettled Japan, said Naoko Aoki, a political scientist at the RAND Corporation. “It is important for the United States to reassure Japan of its commitment and signal to potential adversaries that the alliance remains strong and that the United States is committed to using nuclear weapons if necessary to defend Japan,” she said.

On Monday, Blinken and Kamikawa will meet with S. Jaishankar and Penny Wong, their Indian and Australian counterparts in the Quad, an alliance viewed as a counterbalance to China.

The territorial dispute between China and the Philippines centers around the South China Sea, particularly the Spratly Islands and Scarborough Shoal located in the West Philippine Sea.

China claims nearly the entire South China Sea, delineated by its “nine-dash line,” a demarcation rejected by international law.

The Philippines, on the other hand, asserts sovereignty over areas within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), as defined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Tensions have escalated due to China’s construction of artificial islands and military installations in the disputed waters.

2016 ruling

These actions have been condemned by the international community, including the United States and Japan, for destabilizing regional security and violating international norms.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines, declaring China’s claims under the nine-dash line invalid. However, China has ignored the ruling, continuing its activities in the region.

The dispute has significant economic implications, as the South China Sea is rich in resources, including fisheries, oil, and natural gas. Additionally, it is a crucial maritime route, with a significant portion of global trade passing through it.