US-Japan meeting to discuss Indo-Pacific and Chinese aggression

The 2023 US-Japan Security Consultative Committee meeting, to be co-chaired by their respective foreign and defence ministers, would discuss security challenges in the Indo-Pacific and the Chinese aggression, among others, the Pentagon said Tuesday.

“The leaders will discuss our shared vision of a modernized alliance that will tackle 21st Century challenges in the Indo-Pacific and around the world,” Pentagon Press Secretary Gen Pat Ryder told reporters at a news conference here.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken will co-host the 2023 US-Japan Security Consultative Committee meeting here with their Japanese counterparts Defence Minister Hamada Yasukazu and Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa.

“China certainly will be a topic of discussion with our Japanese allies during the consultation — consultative meetings this week. In terms of Chinese behaviour as evidenced most recently by the PRC (Peoples Republic of China) air intercept, it is concerning when you see these types of provocative actions taking place in sensitive areas,” Ryder said in response to a question.

“Our focus, from the United Statess standpoint, is working with our allies and our partners in the region like Japan to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific, and to ensure that security and stability continue to be present throughout the region,” he said.

“Japan is one of our staunchest allies in the region, and really the US-Japanese alliance is the cornerstone of Indo-Pacific security, you know, over the last 70 years,” he said in response to a question.

“This is an opportunity for our two nations to have very substantive dialogue in terms of how we can modernize the alliance and ensure that were doing our part to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific, and importantly, a stable and secure Indo-Pacific,” he said.

The United States government, in partnership with the Government of Japan, on January 12 will sponsor the fifth Indo-Pacific Business Forum, or IPBF.

The IPBF is an opportunity to discuss shared ambitions for the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity, as well as their respective priorities for the United States APEC host year and Japans G7 presidency in 2023, said State Department Spokesperson Ned Price. “The IPBF will also showcase high-impact private sector investment and government efforts to support market competition, job growth, and high-standard development for greater prosperity and economic inclusion in the Indo-Pacific,” he said.

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