The U.S. and Japanese foreign and defense chiefs held high-level 2+2 talks in Tokyo today, following which a joint statement warned of China’s “coercive and destabilizing behavior” and specifically mentioned the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
The United States is trying to strengthen regional alliances in the face of China’s growing influence. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Japan yesterday for their first overseas visit.
In a statement issued today after bilateral meetings with Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi and Foreign Minister Toshimichi Motegi, the two warned that “China’s inconsistent behavior with the current international order poses challenges on political, economic, military, and scientific levels.
“The ministers pledged to oppose coercion and destabilizing acts against other countries in the region.”
The joint statement also specifically mentioned “the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.” However, Blinken would not comment on whether he agreed with the recent U.S. assessment that China could violate Taiwan within six years.
Blinken said, “I’m not going to get into any assumptions about China’s specific timeline.”
Blinken also said at the joint press conference, “China has used coercion and provocation to systematically encroach on Hong Kong‘s autonomy, covertly undermine Taiwan’s democracy, violate human rights in Xinjiang and Tibet, and assert maritime rights in the South China Sea that violate international law.”
The current administration of President Joe Biden is attempting to reboot U.S. regional alliances after the turbulence they experienced under former President Donald Trump.
Washington is currently reviewing its North Korea policy, and Austin and Blinken have sought the views of regional allies on the issue. The U.S. and Japanese ministers’ joint statement reiterated their call for Pyongyang to “fully denuclearize” and warned that North Korea’s weapons arsenal “poses a threat to international peace and stability.
Kim Yo-Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, warned Washington earlier today not to “try to bring the smell of smoke and mirrors across the ocean to our land. Blinken declined to comment on Kim’s statement.
Blinken said, “We’re looking at whether a variety of additional measures to pressure (North Korea) would work and whether there are reasonable diplomatic avenues. Everything is under review.”
“Looking ahead, we all have the resolve to deal with North Korea’s challenges, particularly with respect to North Korea’s nuclear missile program and, of course, North Korea’s human rights violations.”
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