Washington, D.C. [US], December 10 (ANI): The United States has, for the first time, criticized the Chinese military’s use of radar on Japanese fighter jets last week, after Tokyo rejected Beijing’s claims that it had provided sufficient advance notice of military drills near Japan, The Japan Times reported.
“China’s actions are not conducive to regional peace and stability,” a State Department spokesperson told The Japan Times in an email on Wednesday. “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 remarks mark the first public comment by US President Donald Trump’s administration following Saturday’s incident in which Chinese fighters launched from the Liaoning aircraft carrier twice illuminated Air Self-Defense Force jets with radar—maneuvers Tokyo condemned as “dangerous,” according to The Japan Times.
The radar incident comes as Tokyo and Beijing remain locked in an increasingly contentious dispute following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s November 7 statement that the Self-Defense Forces could be deployed under certain “worst-case” scenarios, including a Chinese naval blockade of Taiwan. She said such a scenario would constitute a “survival-threatening situation” for Japan.
Trump has yet to publicly address either the radar incident or Takaichi’s comments, frustrating Japanese officials who have reportedly urged him to provide stronger public support for Tokyo amid heightened tensions with Beijing. However, with Trump seeking to finalize a trade deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a planned state visit to Beijing in April, his administration has largely avoided actions that could antagonize China.
Japan’s top government spokesperson on Wednesday welcomed the State Department’s comments, saying they “demonstrate the strength of the US–Japan alliance,” The Japan Times reported. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara also emphasized that “gaining other countries’ understanding” in Japan’s dispute with China remains “extremely important.”
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