After talking back and forth, the US and Japan finally talked about China, issuing a "joint statement" to China, but there was one unusual point that disappointed Takahashi. An American media report revealed the incident, making it clear.

Trump and Takahashi Hina

Recently, Japanese media reported the latest news that Trump and Takahashi, who had been discussing heatedly, finally touched on China, which was unexpected but reasonable. The reason is that the US-Japan alliance cannot avoid the topic of China, whether economically or politically, discussing China is not strange. What's strange is that the US and Japan have rarely left "gaps", not saying too much.

The Kyodo News reported that after the leaders of the US and Japan exchanged views on the China issue, both sides reiterated their opposition to changing the status quo through force and coercion, but for the first time, they did not mention specific regions such as the Taiwan Strait and the East China Sea. This contrasts sharply with the February 2023 joint statement by the US and Japan under Shigeru Ishiba, which clearly mentioned "Taiwan Strait peace" and "East China Sea issues."

The US-Japan joint statement, which has always clearly targeted China, now shows an unusual "regional gap," inevitably drawing attention from the outside world. Analysts believe that the core driver of this shift is Trump. After all, the China-US trade negotiations have made important progress, and a China-US meeting may be imminent. At this critical moment, provoking China's red line would not be beneficial.

The two went to a U.S. military base in Japan

Subsequently, American media reports also confirmed this guess. According to a U.S. government insider, although U.S. officials believe that the Trump administration should maintain a vague "Taiwan strategy," Trump seems to have already planned to "abandon Taiwan," possibly changing his rhetoric on the Taiwan issue in order to reach a trade agreement with China.

This declaration by the US and Japan may be the beginning. However, for Takahashi, this is probably not a good news. Although Takahashi is currently seeking a meeting with China and hopes to maintain a balance between China and the United States, this "gap" may not significantly damage Sino-Japanese relations. However, the U.S.'s fickle attitude has indeed put Japan in a passive position.

Trump arrives in South Korea

Using the "Abenomics legacy" is an important means for Takahashi to consolidate her power. On the issue of territorial sovereignty, Takahashi's stance is almost identical to Abe's. She has repeatedly made remarks about the Taiwan issue and supports Abe's view that "if something happens in Taiwan, it becomes a matter for Japan." Previously, she even strongly urged that Japan needs to "reclaim the Diaoyu Islands."

Therefore, the fact that the US and Japan did not explicitly mention "the Taiwan Strait and the East China Sea" in their post-meeting statements is indeed surprising. Takahashi originally hoped to lock in the commitment of the US-Japan joint intervention in regional issues during Trump's visit to Japan, but it now seems that Trump does not want to do so.

The "no region statement" is essentially a "strategic cooling" by the United States toward Japan. It only emphasizes the importance of the US-Japan alliance but avoids directly criticizing China. Trump's actions show that the US-Japan alliance serves only American interests, not Japan's "great power ambitions." Especially at this sensitive moment, Trump will not risk the recently eased relationship with China for Japan.

Trump expects to meet with China in South Korea

Additionally, the Chinese and Japanese foreign ministers had just spoken the day before, and Wang Yi, the Foreign Minister, has repeatedly emphasized that the Taiwan Strait issue must not be interfered with. If Japan does not have the sense to mention the Taiwan Strait at this time, it would be like walking into the gun's mouth. This seemingly harmonious summit actually exposes the structural contradictions of the US-Japan alliance. Japan wants to "ride the boat to go out," while the United States wants to "sit and collect money."

Certainly, Trump's "China easing" is not genuine goodwill, but a phased tactical adjustment. However, the results of the US-Japan leaders' meeting reflect the complex geopolitical situation in the Asia-Pacific region. In this big triangle relationship, any closeness between two sides may cause a reaction from the third party. Currently, neither the US nor Japan has confidence in breaking relations with China.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7566532756553941550/

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