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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 Japan stresses Taiwan’s stability in defense paper
Japanese Minister of Defense Nobuo Kishi is pictured at his office in Tokyo on June 24. Photo: Bloomberg
/ Bloomberg
Japan for the first time referred to the importance of stability around Taiwan in its annual defense report, ratcheting up its concerns over Taiwan that has been a flash point in tensions between China and the US
The wording in the Defense of Japan white paper released yesterday increased friction between the two biggest economies in Asia.
A spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Tokyo not to interfere in Taiwan issues and said Beijing expressed “firm opposition” to the wording in the report.
“The stability of the situation around Taiwan is important, not only for the security of our country, but for the stability of the international community,” the Japanese Ministry of Defense said in its white paper. “Our country must pay close attention to this, with an even greater sense of vigilance.”
The Japanese government has taken its concerns over Taiwan public in recent months, and the white paper comes after Japanese Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso drew Chinese anger by saying earlier this month that Tokyo and Washington would have to defend Taiwan in the event of a serious contingency.
“The Japanese side grossly interfered in China’s internal affairs, groundlessly blamed China’s normal defense construction and military activity, pointed fingers at China’s maritime activity, and hyped up the so-called China threat, which is wrong and irresponsible,” Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Zhao Lijian （趙立堅） told a regular briefing in Beijing.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Ministry welcomed the wording in Japan’s white paper, saying in a statement that Taipei would “continue to urge like-minded nations to pay attention to the importance of security and peace in the Taiwan Strait to regional prosperity and stability.”
While Japan has generally sought to avoid offending China, its biggest trading partner, US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga referred to the need for stability in the Taiwan Strait in a statement following their April summit in Washington.
Japanese Minister of Defense Nobuo Kishi also said in an interview last month that the security of Taiwan was “directly connected” to that of Japan.
Taiwan is a key producer of the semiconductors needed to advance Japan’s economy, and the Luzon Strait to the south is an important shipping lane for the energy tankers resource-poor Japan relies on to power its factories and homes.
“As the Biden administration makes clear it will support Taiwan in a military sense, it is unlikely China will compromise with the US stance, and there is a possibility that a confrontation between the US and China will emerge,” the Japanese defense paper said.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
