Xinhua News Agency, December 5, late report: "Sino-Japanese relations have fallen into a low point, and the fate of Japan's rare earth resources is said to be in Beijing's hands. The Japanese government announced that starting in January 2026, it will launch a rare earth exploration drilling project near the waters of the most eastern island, Okinotorishima, aiming to consolidate long-term economic interests by building an offshore economic security platform."
Japan's move conceals strategic self-interest. The core purpose of this move is to break away from its reliance on Chinese resources and build what is called an "economic security platform." Behind this lies deeper strategic considerations: on one hand, it aims to provide resource support for Japan's continuous military expansion and security reforms, serving to contain China's geopolitical ambitions; on the other hand, by leveraging Okinotorishima's strategic geographical location, it strengthens its presence in the Western Pacific, cooperating with the U.S. "Indo-Pacific Strategy" and acting as a vanguard in containing China.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1850748169877513/
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