Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that military cooperation between Washington and Tokyo should not harm the interests of a third party, following the announcement by the United States and Japan of new initiatives to enhance security cooperation between them and their recognition that China is a strategic challenge.

On Wednesday, the United States and Japan announced new initiatives aimed at strengthening their security cooperation in the face of "threats" from China and North Korea, amid escalating tensions in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

The new US-Japanese military cooperation comes about 3 weeks after Japan made the largest adjustment to its defense policy since the end of World War II, and approved a new defense policy document that considers China a strategic challenge.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in a joint press conference yesterday, Wednesday, in Washington with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa and Japanese Defense Minister Hamada Yasukazu: "Today we welcomed a historic alliance decision to improve the status of US forces in Japan."

The Japanese Minister of Defense (left) and the Japanese Foreign Minister during the joint press conference with their American counterparts (Anatolia)

Austin stated that his country will deploy a rapid intervention unit from the US Marine Corps (Marines) to the island of Okinawa in southern Japan, to enhance the defense capabilities of its ally in the face of the growing Chinese threats.

He added that the planned measures "will strengthen deterrence in the region and allow us to defend Japan and its people more effectively."

In turn, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said during the press conference, "We agree that China poses the greatest strategic challenge" to the two countries.

Blinken also welcomed Japan's decision to increase defense spending, and said that Washington and Tokyo agreed that the mutual defense treaty concluded between them also includes attacks that take place through space.

Other plans will be discussed at a meeting between US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House, scheduled for Friday.