U.S., Japan defense chiefs condemn China aggression against Taiwan

ROC Central News Agency

09/15/2022 01:46 PM

Washington, Sept. 14 (CNA) Defense ministers from the United States and Japan condemned China's recent aggressive behavior in the Taiwan Strait and the region, at a meeting in Washington Wednesday.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin and Japan's Minister of Defense Yasukazu Hamada met in Washington on Wednesday, the first time since the latter took office in August.

The two leaders exchanged views on a wide range of regional security issues related to the U.S.-Japan Alliance, including China's aggressive actions in the Indo-Pacific region, according to the Pentagon.

"They confirmed their shared goal to modernize the U.S.-Japan Alliance, bolster integrated deterrence, and further cooperate with like-minded partners to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific," according to a readout of the meeting provided by the Pentagon.

"Let's be clear, China's coercive actions in the Taiwan Strait, and the waters surrounding Japan are provocative, destabilizing, and aggressive," the readout quoted Austin as saying.

According to the Pentagon, Austin emphasized Washington's commitment to the defense of Japan, saying it includes "our commitment to credible and resilient extended deterrence, using the full range of our conventional and nuclear capabilities."

Meanwhile, Japan's Ministry of Defense said in a press release that Hamada and Austin both strongly condemned the firing of Chinese ballistic missiles into Japan's exclusive economic zone in early August.

The two leaders also reaffirmed the importance to ensure peace and stability in Taiwan Strait, according to the statement.

Japan's defense ministry added that Austin and Hamada had also welcomed a plan to base U.S. MQ-9 reconnaissance drones at a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force site in Kagoshima Prefecture to improve the alliance's ability in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations.

(By Chiang Chin-yeh, Yang Ming-chu and Shih Hsiu-chuan)

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