STOCKHOLM (AP) — Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi expressed concern Saturday over Russia-China military cooperation in Asia, saying the security situation in Europe cannot be separated from that in the Indo-Pacific region since that Moscow invaded the Ukraine.
Speaking at a meeting of European and Indo-Pacific foreign ministers in Sweden, Hayashi said Russia’s war in Ukraine had “shaken the very foundations of the international order” and must face a united response from the international community.
“Otherwise, similar challenges will arise in other regions and the existing order, which has underpinned our peace and prosperity, could basically be overturned,” Hayashi warned.
Japan staunchly backs Ukraine in the war, but China remains neutral, declaring an “unlimited” relationship with Moscow and blaming the United States and NATO for sparking the conflict. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited Ukraine’s capital kyiv in March at the same time Chinese President Xi Jinping met his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
Hayashi accused Beijing of “continuing and intensifying its unilateral attempts” to forcibly change the status quo in the South China and East China seas and increasing its military activities around Taiwan.
“In addition, China and Russia are strengthening their military collaboration, including joint flights of their bombers and naval exercises in the vicinity of Japan,” Hayashi added.
China, which claims to own almost all of the South China Sea as well as Japanese-held islands in the East China Sea, claims it has the right to defend its sovereignty and develop interests.
Hayashi also warned that North Korea “intensifies provocations” in the region by launching ballistic missiles “with unprecedented frequency and in an unprecedented manner.”
Hayashi joined dozens of ministers from the European Union and the Indo-Pacific region for the summit north of the Swedish capital. China was not invited to the meeting.
