Japan and Australia are exploring ways to strengthen cooperation, preemptively strike before Japan and Australia join forces, draw a red line for the Ministry of National Defense, and Japan-Australia defense cooperation should not harm the interests of third parties. What are the specific actions of Japan and Australia? What exactly did the mainland defense ministry say?
A few days ago, Japanese media quoted a number of relevant government sources as saying that the governments of Japan and Australia are exploring ways to strengthen cooperation, including measures such as sharing intelligence between the Self-Defense Forces and the Australian military when emergencies occur around the two countries. In addition, "taking into account China's movements," Japan and Australia will expand joint training and conduct Japanese long-range missile launch tests in Australia. Japanese media also hyped that the Japanese government has positioned Australia as a "quasi-ally" second only to the United States, hoping to improve its deterrence against China. It is not difficult to see that the moves of Japan and Australia are obviously aimed at China.
At the regular press conference of the Ministry of National Defense on the 25th, Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesman of the Ministry of National Defense, responded that we have always maintained that defense cooperation between relevant countries should not harm the interests of third parties and should not endanger regional peace and security. In recent years, Japan has violated the spirit of the pacifist constitution, broken through the principle of "exclusive defense", vigorously developed offensive weapons against foreign countries, and spread false narratives and provocative remarks, and constantly formed gangs and factions to form "small circles" under the pretext of the so-called "China threat". It is not difficult to see that China's response is to clearly warn the Japanese side that there are some things that cannot be done.
It is understood that in October 2022, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Australian Prime Minister Albanese issued a new mutual security declaration between the two countries, which has become a guide for Japan-Australia security and defense cooperation in the next 10 years. As for the latest trends in Japan and Australia, some analysts believe that this is a step-by-step implementation of the new version of the "Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation" signed by the leaders of the two countries.
Another expert believes that this move by Japan and Australia is to pull each other to endorse their own security, and will inevitably aggravate tensions in the Asia-Pacific region. Japan has intentions toward China, as well as North Korea and Russia. In addition, this move by Japan and Australia also shows their ambition to become a "military hegemon" in the Asia-Pacific region.
In addition, with regard to Japan's missile test launch in Australia, military expert Song Zhongping believes that the purpose of Japan's move is very clear, that is, it wants to use this to continuously break through the three principles of transfer of defense equipment in an attempt to eventually become an arms power. If this move is realized, it will be a complete and substantial betrayal and breakthrough of Japan's pacifist constitution. Facts have once again proved that what Japan is doing is seriously stimulating the escalation of tensions in the region.
It is undeniable that Japan and Australia are so eager to strengthen military cooperation, and it is obvious that behind it is the United States, its "leading brother," who is fueling the troubles. It can be said that at present, Japan and Australia are becoming the "vanguard forces" of the "Indo-Pacific strategy" of the United States, and the two countries are gradually strengthening military interaction and cooperation in accordance with Washington's intentions and deployments, and the impact on the regional situation is bound to be destructive and bad.
The Biden administration's "Indo-Pacific Strategy", as a containment strategy against China, is not only a geopolitical manipulation of a wide range of geographical regions such as East Asia, South Asia, the Western Pacific, and the Indian Ocean, but also a narrative with individual political goals of the United States. Whether it is the United States, Japan, Australia, and other countries in the Asia-Pacific region, they must be clear about the fact that the Asia-Pacific region should be a highland of peaceful development, not a chess game of geopolitical games, still less a place for certain countries to unilaterally dictate orders, and the rules and order in the Asia-Pacific region can only be jointly decided by the countries in the region.