Biden and Xi meet: Japan watching closely
Kanako Mita, Sawako Utsumi, and Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
President Xi Jinping of China met President Joe Biden of America ahead of the G20 summit in Bali (Indonesia). The cameras were flashing when Biden and Xi greeted each other. However, tensions exist between both nations concerning Taiwan, trade, geopolitics, and other essential areas.
Biden said to Xi, “We spent a lot of time together back in the day when we were both vice presidents and it’s just great to see you.”
Biden continued, “As the leaders of our two nations, we share responsibility, in my view, to show that China and the United States can manage our differences, prevent competition from … turning into conflict, and to find ways to work together on urgent global issues that require our mutual cooperation.”
Xi, admitting that relations between America and China were not meeting international expectations, said, “So we need to chart the right course for the China-U.S. relationship. We need to find the right direction for the bilateral relationship going forward and elevate the relationship.”
Xi continued, “The world expects that China and the United States will properly handle the relationship.”
The Biden administration continues to send military arms to Taiwan. Also, Biden is more outspoken against China over this issue than in recent administrations. However, political elites in Beijing and Washington understand the need to reduce tensions and reach accommodation when possible.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan, who follows the whims of Washington to an extreme, might have to do a u-turn concerning his anti-China rhetoric – if America decides on a more pragmatic approach with China.
Since Kishida took office, he never misses an opportunity to rebuke China and the Russian Federation. The late former leader Shinzo Abe favored cordial relations with the Russian Federation. Therefore, if Biden and Xi reach greater accommodation, the Kishida administration will follow and likely reach out concerning a milder nuance.
Reuters reports, “Relations have been roiled in recent years by growing tensions over issues ranging from Hong Kong and Taiwan to the South China Sea, trade practices and U.S. restrictions on Chinese technology.”
The above indicates who is the aggressor because of the geopolitical angle and America’s interference in the backyard of China.
Kishida seeks to increase military funding in Japan despite the horrendous ratio of debt that hinders this nation. Hence, if America and China can reset even halfway, it will infringe on Kishida’s anti-China rhetoric. Therefore, the Japanese Foreign Ministry will be analyzing developments carefully.
Hopefully, America and China can reset relations even if differences remain. If so, Japan will also alter course given Kishida’s sheepish approach to America and rubber-stamping the whims of the Biden administration.
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