The leaders of the United States, Japan, Australia, and India will meet in Tokyo next week. Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi slammed what he called negative moves by Washington and Tokyo against Beijing.
Wang told Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi that “What arouses attention and vigilance is the fact that the so-called joint Japan-US anti-China posturing is already splashing water even before the American leader has set out for the meeting.”
At a meeting of the Indo-Pacific strategic partnership known as the Quad, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will host US President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the winner of the weekend elections in Australia.
China sees the Quad as an attempt to contain its economic growth and leverage. While Biden has sought to build ties with other democracies to encounter the rise of authoritarian global power.
Hayashi told Wang that China must take responsibility for maintaining international peace and security. Also, pointing out that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a clear violation of international law. China has remained silent on the invasion.
Japan, is concerned that Russia’s actions might empower China and escalate tensions in the Asia-Pacific region. Thus, it quickly joined the US and Europe in imposing sanctions on Moscow.
Hayashi expressed “serious concern” about the situation in the East and South China seas. He referred to China’s increasingly assertive military actions, also in Hong Kong and China’s Xinjiang region. He also emphasized the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
China enhanced activities which led to tensions in Tokyo
Tokyo is concerned about increased Chinese coast guard and naval activity near Japanese-controlled East China Sea islands. Beijing also claims some parts of the East China Sea islands. Thus, it is trying to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific with the US, Australia, and other autocracies as a counter to China’s rise in the region.
The Japanese Foreign Ministry issued a statement that made no mention of the Quad meeting or China’s criticism of it. It also left out the United States and other nations.
According to a Chinese statement, Wang stated that Japan-US cooperation should not lead to confrontation between camps or harm China’s sovereignty, security, or development interests.
Wang made a statement that “Our hope is that Japan will learn history’s lessons, concentrate on peace and stability, proceed with caution, not pull others’ chestnuts out of the blaze, and not be misled by advantaging oneself at the cost of one’s neighbor.”
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