[By Guancha Net, Liu Chenghui] Regarding the intention of the Trump administration to push Japan onto the front lines, the Japanese "Mainichi Shimbun" published an editorial on April 1st with the title "Japan must avoid becoming the frontline in the competition between China and the US," warning that while cooperation between Japan and the US is very important, it seems that US Defense Secretary Hackett is placing Japan directly at the forefront of the confrontation between China and the US, causing concerns. The editorial expressed concerns that unlike the US, Japan views China as a neighboring country with close economic ties, and blindly following the "America First" policy cannot safeguard Japan's national interests; strengthening dialogue with China to ease tensions is crucial.

The editorial stated that cooperation between Japan and the US is vital for maintaining stability in Asia. However, Secretary Hackett's remarks have raised concerns, as he seems to want to push Japan directly to the forefront of the confrontation between the US and China, and his anti-China stance is particularly noteworthy.

Secretary Hackett held talks with Japan's Minister of National Defense Nakagawa Gen on March 30th. This was the first visit by a core member of the Trump administration to Japan. Both parties reiterated the agreement reached during the February Japan-US summit, confirmed the US's continued commitment to Japan's defense, and agreed to strengthen the deterrent and response capabilities of the bilateral alliance.

On March 30th, Japanese Prime Minister Shiroyama visited his office to meet with US Defense Secretary Hackett and deliver an opening speech. Visual China.

In a press conference, Secretary Hackett announced the first phase of the plan to reorganize the US military headquarters in Japan into a "Joint Forces Command." He also claimed that Japan is an indispensable partner in responding to so-called Chinese military "aggression." He declared that it is necessary to have "continuous, strong, ready, and credible deterrence" in the Indo-Pacific region, including the Taiwan Strait, because "Japan will be at the forefront of any potential emergency in the Western Pacific."

Zack Cooper, a senior researcher at the American Enterprise Institute, said that this visit would be an opportunity to show Japan how the Trump administration applies its "America First" concept to Asia.

The "Mainichi Shimbun" warned that Japan should not unconditionally exercise collective self-defense simply because of so-called emergencies. Even former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's promotion of limited collective self-defense was premised on "special circumstances where Japan's survival is threatened."

The editorial also mentioned that the Trump administration continues to increase demands for allies to take on more military burdens, a practice that has been particularly evident during the Ukraine conflict. The US urged European countries facing Russian threats to enhance their own defense capabilities.

However, unlike the current US view of China as its greatest threat, Japan sees China as a neighboring country with close economic ties. Simply following Trump's "America First" policy cannot safeguard Japan's national interests.

"For Japan, strengthening cooperation with regional partners such as Australia and South Korea, who share common interests, and doubling efforts to ease tensions through dialogue with China are crucial," the editorial concluded.

In response to Secretary Hackett's provocative actions during his visit to Japan, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun stated on March 31st that China consistently maintains that US-Japan military security cooperation should not target third countries or harm regional peace and development. The US uses the so-called "China threat" as an excuse to provoke ideological opposition, incite division and confrontation, and even煽动 some countries to act as pawns for the US to maintain hegemony. Regional countries should be vigilant and prevent this. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Japan, in particular, should learn from history and proceed cautiously in the field of military security. The Taiwan issue is purely China's internal affair, and how it is resolved is China's own business, not subject to interference by others.

This article is an exclusive contribution from Guancha Net and cannot be reproduced without permission.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7488601994958897702/

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