Japan will continue to work with the US for peace in the Taiwan Strait regardless of who is in the White House after the November presidential election, Japan’s top government spokesperson said in an exclusive interview.
The comments come after Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said that Taiwan should pay the US for its defense, raising concerns over US support for the nation should the former president be re-elected.
“Peace and stability [in the Taiwan Strait] is hugely important not just for our own security, but for the entire international community,” Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said in response to a question on whether a Trump presidency would have an impact on the US commitment in the Indo-Pacific region.
Photo: Reuters
As the US and Japan both believe in the importance of resolving cross-strait issues peacefully, “we will continue these diplomatic efforts. It is important to reinforce the common ground we have as allies,” he added.
The US does not have a formal defense agreement with Taiwan, but is bound by law to provide the nation with the means to protect itself.
This arrangement appears to be a source of dissatisfaction for Trump, who has said: “Taiwan doesn’t give us anything.”
His running mate, J.D. Vance, last week also dropped hints on what a potential Republican presidency’s policy in the Indo-Pacific region might look like, calling China the “biggest threat” facing the US.
Trump has sparked concerns that there could be another trade dispute between China and the US after threatening to impose a 60 percent tariff on Chinese imports.
Hayashi refrained from commenting on the threat of such tariffs, but reiterated the need for continued dialogue with China and said preparations for a foreign minister meeting were under way.
“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,” he said.
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