During the ASEAN summit in Laos on October 11, 2024, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned China's increasingly dangerous maritime maneuvers, expressing concerns shared by Japan regarding China's military activities in the region.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba conveyed his serious concerns to Chinese Premier Li Qiang about the intensification of Chinese military activities around Japan, particularly in the East China Sea. Ishiba raised issues such as the installation of a buoy in Japan's exclusive economic zone, a Chinese military aircraft's incursion into Japanese airspace, and the navigation of a Chinese aircraft carrier near Japan's territorial waters.
This marks the first time China has violated Japanese airspace and approached Japanese territorial waters. Ishiba also urged China to ensure the safety of Japanese citizens following a recent stabbing incident in Shenzhen, which resulted in the death of a Japanese child.
Both leaders emphasized their commitment to fostering a mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interests and maintaining constructive and stable relations. They agreed to maintain communications at multiple levels, including at the summit level, to achieve concrete results.
In parallel, Blinken reiterated U.S. support for freedom of navigation and expressed deep concerns over China's illegal actions in the South and East China Seas, which have resulted in injuries and affected vessels from ASEAN countries, contradicting commitments to peaceful conflict resolution.
Source: DW.com, Date: October 11, 2024