TOKYO: United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will meet Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Tuesday (Dec 10), having a day earlier warned American troops near Tokyo of the threat represented by China.
Austin will meet Ishiba and then Japanese counterpart Gen Nakatani on what is likely his last official trip to the region, as the key allies prepare for a new era shaped by US President-elect Donald Trump’s “America First” policies.
The Pentagon chief on Monday described the threat posed by China in a speech aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, which is stationed off Yokosuka, south of Tokyo.
“The PRC is the only country in the world that has the intent and, increasingly, the capability to change the rules-based international order,” he said, using the initials of its full name, the People’s Republic of China.
“And so, you know, we want to see this region, this area remain open to freedom of navigation and the ability to fly the skies and international airways whenever we want to,” Austin said.
“We’re going to continue to work with our allies and partners to ensure that we can do just that.”
Around 54,000 US military personnel are stationed in Japan, mostly in Okinawa, east of Taiwan. Increased military activity around the self-ruled island since Monday has fuelled speculation about drills by China, which claims Taiwan as its territory.
Austin also spoke about the situation in Syria, where Islamist rebels have unseated president Bashar al-Assad after decades of brutal rule.
“As this unfolds, there’s a potential that elements in the area, such as (Islamic State), could try to take advantage of this opportunity and regain capability,” Austin said, in comments echoed by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Austin’s trip to Japan is his 13th visit to the Asia-Pacific region as defence secretary, according to the Pentagon.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/us-defense-secretary-austin-meet-japan-pm-final-asia-trip-4797471
