China’s concerns deepen as US and Japan hail ‘stronger than ever alliance’

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s recent visit to Washington may leave Beijing feeling more isolated, diplomatic analysts say

Tokyo’s pledge to increase defence spending and increasingly vocal stance on Taiwan have already prompted sharp criticism from Beijing

Reading Time:3 minutes

99+

Joe Biden and Fumio Kishida at the White House on Friday. Photo: Reuters

Published: 10:00pm, 14 Jan 2023

Recent statements by the Japanese and American leaders hailing their “stronger than ever” security alliance and commitments to Taiwan risk reinforcing China’s sense of isolation and triggering a regional arms race, diplomatic observers have warned.

On Friday Joe Biden welcomed the Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to Washington, where the two signed a pact to deepen security and space cooperation.

The US President hailed Japan’s “historic” decision to nearly double its defence budget over the next five years and said Washington is “fully, thoroughly, completely” committed to the bilateral security alliance.

Kishida said the US-Japan alliance was “stronger than ever” and said he would work with Washington to deal with chip export restrictions “appropriately”, in a bid to cripple China’s efforts to develop its own semiconductor supply chain.

Highlighting concerns over China’s increased military pressure on Taiwan, the two said in a joint statement: “We emphasise that our basic positions on Taiwan remain unchanged.

“We encourage the peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues.”

Washington was Kishida’s last stop in his week-long tour of the Group of 7 industrial powers.