Washington DC [US], December 10 (ANI): The US on Wednesday criticised the Chinese military’s recent use of radar on Japanese fighter jets, saying the actions were “not conducive to regional peace and stability,” The Japan Times reported.
A State Department spokesperson told The Japan Times via email that “the US-Japan Alliance is stronger and more united than ever. Our commitment to our ally Japan is unwavering, and we are in close contact on this and other issues.”
The comment was the first from the Trump administration after Chinese fighters launched from the Liaoning aircraft carrier twice illuminated Japan Air Self-Defense Force jets with radar last Saturday — maneuvers Tokyo called “dangerous,” according to The Japan Times.
The incident comes amid rising tensions between Tokyo and Beijing, intensified after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s November 7 remarks that the Self-Defense Forces could be deployed in certain “worst-case” scenarios, such as a Chinese naval blockade of Taiwan, which she described as a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan.
President Trump has not publicly commented on the radar incident or Takaichi’s statements, a silence that has frustrated some Japanese officials who had sought stronger public support from Washington amid the dispute with Beijing.
Trump’s administration has generally avoided actions that might alienate China, as he seeks a trade agreement with President Xi Jinping during a planned state visit to Beijing in April.
Japan’s top government spokesman said Wednesday he welcomed the State Department’s remarks, saying they “demonstrate the strength of the US-Japan alliance,” while Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara added that “gaining other countries’ understanding” in Japan’s dispute with China remains “extremely important.” (ANI)
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