US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegses says Japan is a “essential partner” to Beijing in the Asia-Pacific region.
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegses says he shares a “warrior spirit” as his country and Japan tackle China’s invasion across the Taiwan Strait.
During a meeting in Tokyo with Japanese counterpart, General Nakatani on Sunday, Hegses said Japan was “an essential partner in deterring communist Chinese military attacks.”
“The United States is committed to maintaining a robust, prepared and reliable deterrent in the Indo-Pacific, including the entire Taiwan Strait,” Heggs said.
Over the past few years, China has increased its military presence around Taiwan, including almost a day of air invasion, and has not used force to exclude Taiwan under its control.
Last year, former President Joe Biden’s administration announced that Japanese US troops will be revamped to increase coordination with Tokyo troops in what Beijing described as their “biggest strategic challenge.”
However, analysts warn that US security commitments in the region could be affected as President Donald Trump pushed for the “American first” policy.
Japan currently hosts 50,000 US military and fighter fighter jets stationed primarily in Okinawa, eastern Taiwan.
Earlier in March, Trump criticized the US Security Alliance and said they would not protect Washington while the US protects them.
“Who is actually making these deals?” he said.
Military expenditure
Hegseth accused the Biden administration of creating a “recognition that America is not strong and is not ready to stop the initiation of a conflict.”
He said Washington “prevents communists from taking the aggressive behavior that some people think of, as both the reality and perception of deterrence are realistic and continuous, in order to make the alliance robust.”
In addition to Hegses’ visit, there is hope that Trump will urge Asian US allies to increase military spending and improve their defense capabilities.
Hegseth and Nakatani agreed to accelerate plans to jointly produce Amraam missiles in the air beyond their sight and consider how they could work together to help ease the shortage of operations by SM-6 surface-to-air defense missiles.
Hegseth said Washington “is confident that Japan will properly determine the capabilities needed within our alliance to ensure that we are on shoulder.”
But the push to increase spending comes at the same time as Tokyo is upset by Trump’s decision to impose a 25% tariff on automobile imports, which will take effect on April 3.
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