Japan will continue to work with the United States for peace in the Taiwan Strait regardless of who wins the November presidential election, according to Asian media.
The comments came after Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump stated that Taiwan should pay the US for its defence. That raised concerns about US support for the island nation if the former president is re-elected, according to Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi.
Peace and stability [in the Taiwan Strait] are hugely important not just for our own security but for the entire international community.
Given that the US and Japan believe in the importance of a peaceful solution to the problems between the two sides of the strait, “we will continue these diplomatic efforts. It is important to reinforce the common ground we have as allies,” Hayashi added.
I understand that there are preparations being made for a Japan-China foreign minister meeting. It’s important to communicate clearly with one another on various levels.
The US has no formal defence agreement with Taiwan, but is legally obliged to provide the island with the means to defend itself. The current arrangement appears to be a source of frustration for Trump, who has stated that “Taiwan doesn’t give us anything.”
His running mate J.D. Vance also hinted last week at what a potential Republican president’s Indo-Pacific policy might look like. Vance called China the “biggest threat” the United States faced. Earlier this year, Trump sparked concerns that a new trade war could break out between China and the US after he threatened to impose a 60% tariff on Chinese imports.
Sanctions against Israeli settlers
On Tuesday, Japan also announced sanctions against four Israeli settlers because of their involvement in violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. Hayashi said Israeli settlements in that region “violate international law and harm the realisation of a two-state solution.”
Violence by settlers has been rising sharply. Japan will seek the complete halt of settlements while working with the international community to fully implement the sanctions.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s government has frozen the assets of four Israeli settlers. Since 7 October last year, when the Israeli offensive on Gaza began, 63 attacks on Palestinian water sources by Israeli settlers had been recorded, mostly in the northern parts of the West Bank, Hayashi added.
