China has accused the US and Japan of ‘merging’ on Saturday after talks by the two nations on a range of geopolitical issues, including China’s global expansion.
In the first personal meeting in the White House since President Biden took office, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said the two leaders described the “serious security environment” and the actions of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in the Indo-Pacific region booked.
CHINA WARNS US TO STOP ‘PLAYING WITH FIRE’ IN TAIWAN
The two countries face not only China’s increasing military involvement in the South China Sea and security measures used by the PRK to put Taiwan under pressure, but also human rights abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong.
“The US and Japan are actually working together to form cliques and incite the confrontation of the bloc,” the foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday. “This anachronistic step is at odds with the pursuit of peace, development and cooperation shared by the vast majority of countries in the region and beyond.”
Tensions between China and the US increased after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, but Japan had its own problems with its neighbor in the Pacific.
In a statement following the bilateral talks, Japan and the US expressed concern about China’s military involvement around the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.
The islands, also known as Diaoyu Dao, are uninhabited and ruled by Japan, but claimed by China.
“Taiwan and Diaoyu Dao are both Chinese territories. Issues concerning Hong Kong and Xinjiang are purely China’s domestic affairs,” the foreign ministry said. “China has undeniable sovereignty over islands in the South China Sea and waters around them.”
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The US-Japan meeting took place a few days after 22 Chinese planes flew into Taiwan’s air defense zone, including fighter jets and bombers.
The U.S. Navy, in turn, has increased its presence in the Taiwan Strait, and Biden said the U.S., along with Japan, “is committed to working together to address the challenges posed by China.”