‘Cold war relic’: China takes aim at US-Japan alliance under American nuclear umbrella

Beijing protests again over security meetings between the US and Japanese foreign and defence ministers on the weekend

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Extended deterrence was on the agenda when the defence and foreign ministers of the US and Japan held talks in Tokyo on the weekend. Photo: AFP

Published: 7:24pm, 30 Jul 2024

Beijing has again hit out at Tokyo over security talks with the United States on the weekend, calling on Japan to stop allying with countries outside the region.

For a second day in a row, Chinese officials protested on Tuesday against the “2+2” meeting of Japanese and US defence and foreign ministers in Tokyo on Sunday.

“China demands that Japan adopt a rational view of China, stop meddling in China’s internal affairs for political gain, cease provocations over maritime issues, and end the practice of rallying non-regional countries to create divisions and confrontations in the region,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said.

The ministry accused the allies of “smearing and attacking China over maritime issues, clinging to a cold war mentality, manipulating group politics, and stirring up confrontations”.

He added that Beijing had lodged a stern protest with Japan through diplomatic channels over the meetings and a joint statement after the talks.

09:49

Japan weighs bold era of militarisation as Tokyo races to meet defence spending goals

In the statement, Japan and the US expressed grave concerns over China’s “provocative” actions in the South and East China seas, its military cooperation with Russia, and the swift and opaque expansion of its nuclear arsenal.