Significant upgrade of Japan-U.S. military alliance threatens regional peace: Chinese embassy

The newly upgraded military initiatives of Japan's alliance with the United States are escalating confrontation between camps, increasing the risk of conflict and threatening regional peace and stability, said a spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Japan on Thursday.

He emphasized that the Japan-U.S. alliance, as a product of the Cold War, should not target third parties, let alone harm the interests of third parties. Playing small-clique politics in the field of military security goes against the trend of the times and will ultimately backfire.

On Wednesday, U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida unveiled a series of initiatives aimed at deepening military and economic collaboration between their nations.

Among these measures, the U.S. and Japan intend to establish an expanded defense framework with Australia, engage in trilateral military exercises with the United Kingdom, and investigate avenues for Japan's inclusion in a coalition led by the U.S. alongside Australia and the UK.

Despite China's repeated advice, the Japanese side persisted in manipulating China-related issues extensively during the meeting and released a joint statement from Japanese and U.S. leaders, seriously interfering in China's internal affairs and harming Chinese interests, the spokesperson said.

Japan's actions violate the principles of the four political documents between China and Japan, as well as international law and the basic norms of international relations. China strongly and firmly opposes this and has lodged solemn representations with Japan, he said.

The Diaoyu Islands and its affiliated islands are an inherent part of China's territory. No matter what Japan and the U.S. say or do, it will not change the objective fact that the Diaoyu Islands belong to China, he said.

The Taiwan question is purely China's internal affair and does not require any external interference. Japan should abide by its commitments and act prudently, he said.

China's position on the East China Sea and South China Sea issues has ample historical and legal basis. Japan is not party to the South China Sea issue and should stop its provocative acts of stirring up confrontation, he said.

China solemnly urges Japan to respect China's core interest and major concerns, and effectively implement the important consensus of comprehensively advancing the strategic and mutually beneficial relations between the two countries.

China also urges Japan to stop actions that benefit itself at the expense of others, interfere in China's internal affairs and harm Chinese interests, in order to avoid causing greater damage to China-Japan relations, the spokesperson said.