Tim Kelly

TOKYO (Reuters). Despite the U.S. president’s comments that he would use force to defend Taiwan, Japan does not believe this to be a formal shift in U.S. policy. It was, however, seen in Tokyo as a welcomed warning during a period of increasing alarm about China.

Biden’s Monday comment – his first Asia trip since becoming president – seemed to push the boundaries of U.S. “strategic uncertainty” policy toward Taiwan’s self-rule, much to China’s anger.

The United States of America has made a promise under the Taiwan Relations Act to Taiwan “to provide Taiwan with the means to defend themselves”, but it is still unsure how it would react in case China attacks the island.

Biden’s assistant later stated that Biden’s comment did not alter America’s position toward the island. China asserts the island is its.

Japan followed a similar path. Hirokazu Matsuno Chief Cabinet Secretary stated that Tuesday saw no shift in the position of allies on Taiwan. He declined to respond on Biden’s comment.

Some senior officials of the Liberal Democratic Party welcomed the comments, as it was believed to be dispelling any doubts regarding whether or not the United States would act in times of crisis.

“This remark transcends the unclear strategy of previous administrations. “This will contribute to stability and peace in Taiwan straits,” Masahisa Sato, an ex-deputy defence minister who is a well-known LDP hawk said in a blog.

This party is full of praises.

Keisuke, an ex-deputy foreign minister, called Biden’s comments “very important” and “very timely”, in a tweet on Twitter (NYSE : ).

Fumio Kishida the Prime Minister, stood right next to Biden as he spoke. He believes that Taiwan’s security is crucial. Japan and Taiwan are both part of an island chain which hems in Chinese troops. Japan would be considered a threat if Taiwan is lost.

“To deter China from embarking on adventurous military actions should remain the most important task,” said Tomohiko Taniguchi, who was an adviser to former prime minister Shinzo Abe. Biden stated that Biden had said, “Welcome to Japan and Taiwan” as well as the Indo-Pacific.

Biden’s Indo-Pacific visit was focused on countering China’s rising military and economic dominance.

According to analysts and advisers, the president came to Asia with a simple message for China: Don’t do to Taiwan what Russia did in Ukraine.

A LDP official working for an influential lawmaker said that the United States would not hesitate to act in emergency situations. He spoke on condition that he not be identified.

It’S COMPLETE

Japan’s relationship with China is complicated. China is Japan’s largest export market as well as its main source of imports. Japanese businesses have been able to build deep supply networks in China for years. But, Japan now demands that they bring some manufacturing back home.

The Chinese could invade Taiwan and disrupt the sea lanes Japan relies on to ship goods to Japan, as well as to import oil from the Middle East.

Retired admiral Katsutoshi Kawano was the chief of Japan’s Self-Defence Forces Joint Staff from 2005 to 2019.

Biden said that his comment would discourage China from attacking Taiwan.

Japan has expressed concern for Taiwan in its annual defence whitepaper. The paper noted that there was a sense of crisis about Taiwan as well as the threat posed by Chinese forces.

Kishida warned about an increasing fragility in East Asia security during the week that has passed since Russia’s attack on Ukraine.

China describes its maneuvers surrounding Taiwan that have seen its aircraft regularly enter Taiwan’s air-defense zone as normal military activities.

Taiwan’s defence ministry revealed that the Taiwanese air force attacked 18 Chinese aircraft on Friday. It was part of an ongoing pattern, which has angered Taipei’s government.

Japan has been increasing defense spending as Chinese aircraft and ships travel to Japan. Kishida’s party is pushing to have it double to 2% gross domestic product.

However, even this will not be able to match China’s increasing military expenditures, already nearly five times greater. Japan’s pacifist constitution forbids it from engaging in foreign wars and has kept its short-range weaponry to a minimum over the past decades.

These constraints would mean Japan will likely depend on the U.S. as its ally in Taiwan. Japan hosts and supports any surge of troops, planes, and ships needed to defeat China.