New military moves have exacerbated tensions in Southeast Asia, and Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said his country had expressed "grave concern" and lodged a protest with China after Chinese navy ships entered Japanese waters near the island of Yakushima on Thursday.
He said two Chinese coast guard vessels also entered Japanese waters around the Senkaku Islands, which China calls Diaoyu, and tried to approach a Japanese fishing boat.
On the other hand, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said – in a regular press briefing yesterday – that the joint Chinese-Russian patrols do not target specific countries, and comply with international law and international norms.
China and Russia began joint air patrols on Tuesday over the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea for the sixth time since 2019, prompting neighboring South Korea and Japan to deploy fighter jets immediately.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman urged the United States and Japan to adhere to the one-China principle and refrain from provoking tension in the Taiwan Strait.
On the other hand, US President Joe Biden said – when meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak – that the "AUCOS" security alliance will make the Indian Ocean safer.
In his talks with Sunak, Biden stressed the importance of a security alliance with Britain and Australia to bolster security in East Asia.