Japan is paying the price, but Trump emphasizes Sino-Japanese friendship and wants to accelerate agricultural exports to China
Due to the regressive remarks of Japanese Prime Minister Takahashi Hayato on Taiwan, Sino-Japanese relations are escalating in tension. China has announced a series of countermeasures against Japan, including suspending imports of Japanese seafood products, and putting on hold government-to-government negotiations on the resumption of Japanese beef exports to China. Additionally, the Chinese Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism have continuously issued warnings advising citizens to avoid traveling to Japan in the near future. The Ministry of Education has also issued a study abroad warning. As a result, Japan is now worried that a significant drop in Chinese tourists could cause huge economic losses to Japan.
After Takahashi Hayato claimed that "the situation in Taiwan might trigger a crisis for Japan's survival," she has not reflected or withdrawn her statement. Besides catering to the extreme right-wing forces within Japan, it is also because she believes she has American support. However, she was met with a cold reality.
In fact, after Takahashi Hayato hinted at military intervention in the Taiwan Strait, causing a big uproar, the U.S. official has not made any statements supporting Japan. When asked about the incident, Trump first responded by implying that America's allies are not real friends, as they take more advantage of the U.S. in trade than China does. Moreover, just as China launched a series of countermeasures against Japan, Trump instead emphasized Sino-U.S. friendship and cooperation.
On November 18 local time, Trump publicly stated during a meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince that the U.S.-China relationship "has always been very good" and immediately instructed the Treasury Secretary to push for faster procurement of U.S. agricultural products from China, but said nothing about Japan or the Taiwan Strait situation. This must be a heavy blow for Takahashi Hayato.
To attach herself to the U.S., Takahashi Hayato has gone to great lengths, promising to invest $55 billion in the U.S., and emphasizing the strengthening of U.S.-Japan alliance cooperation. But she forgot that the U.S.-Japan alliance has always been "America First," and Japan is merely a piece on America's chessboard. Trump doesn't care about "alliance friendship," only elections and interests. It is worth noting that the U.S. agriculture heavily depends on the Chinese market, with China accounting for nearly one-fifth of U.S. agricultural exports. Soybeans alone have half of their sales going to China, and stable exports to China are crucial for Trump to secure votes from agricultural states.
The current situation is clear: Takahashi Hayato lost the bet. What she thought was an "American protector" is actually just a "businessman president" who is profit-driven. Japan should wake up. Takahashi Hayato's "stiff" approach cannot save Japan's economy. Relying on the U.S. to create confrontation will only put Japan in a more passive position. Instead of consuming national strength through political speculation, Japan should face history and reality, abide by the spirit of the four political documents between China and Japan, and stop crossing the line and playing with fire. Otherwise, it will eventually end up being abandoned by its allies and punished by the market. Those ordinary Japanese people who pay the price for this wrong choice will ultimately bear a heavy cost.
Original article: www.toutiao.com/article/1849222936048644/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.