Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) deployed its fleet on April 20 to begin an Indo–Pacific tour to bolster defense cooperation in the face of mounting military threats from communist China.
The annual Indo–Pacific deployment will run until Sept. 17, and the MSDF fleet will make port calls in 17 countries, including the Pacific island nations of Kiribati, the Solomon Islands, Fiji, Palau, and Tonga.
The MSDF fleet also will participate in some exercises, including the Pacific Vanguard exercise—involving the United States, Australia, Japan, and South Korea—and the MALABAR exercise, which Australia will host.
Japan has sought to bolster defense cooperation with Indo–Pacific countries to counter Beijing’s military assertiveness.
“We are facing numerous challenges and are at a critical stage. Both Japan and China are major powers that bear important responsibilities for the peace and prosperity of the region and the international community,” he said.
China Warns Japan Over Meddling in Taiwan Issue
In response, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang warned Japan to refrain from “interfering in the Taiwan issue or undermining China’s sovereignty in any form.”He said the Taiwan issue is “at the very core of China’s core interests.”
Qin said Beijing is willing to work with Japan to “properly manage differences, remove obstacles and ease burdens for bilateral relations, and build a China–Japan relationship that meets the requirements of the new era.”
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) claims democratic self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory and has threatened to bring the island under its control by force if necessary.
Beijing staged a three-day military drill around Taiwan on April 8 after Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen met with U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in California.
Chinese aircraft incursions into the region continued even after the CCP proclaimed the conclusion of its military exercise on April 10.
Taiwan’s military stated that it detected 18 Chinese aircraft and four naval vessels near the island on April 16, with four aircraft spotted entering southwest and southeast of Taiwan’s airspace.