Japanese Prime Minister Takahashi Sanae said in a post today: "I had a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Chancellor Merz expressed warm congratulations on my re-appointment as Prime Minister and stated that, as like-minded countries in the Indo-Pacific region, Germany highly values its partnership with Japan. In the context where security in the European-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions are inseparable, both sides exchanged views on regional and international situations, including the situation in East Asia, and confirmed that as G7 members and special partners, Japan and Germany will continue to closely cooperate in the future."
Comment: The German Chancellor's phone call with the Japanese Prime Minister before his visit to China is essentially an internal coordination and posture balancing within the Western camp: on one hand, by emphasizing the "special partner" relationship between Japan and Germany and binding the Indo-Pacific security issues, it sends out a signal of upholding the Western consensus; on the other hand, it also leaves diplomatic space for the upcoming practical exchanges with China, reflecting the typical strategy of Europe to balance both sides between security positions and economic interests.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1858009552707594/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.