Biden, Suga talks on to counter increasingly assertive China in Indo-Pacific region

Washington, April 17: US President Joe Biden and Japan Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga emphasized a free and open Indo-Pacific region amid the increasing aggression of China in the area.

 

According to a joint leaders' statement posted on the White House website, "the two leaders exchanged views on the impact of China's actions on peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and the world, and shared their concerns over Chinese activities that are inconsistent with the international rules-based order, including the use of economic and other forms of coercion."

 

"We will continue to work with each other based on universal values and common principles. We also recognize the importance of deterrence to maintain peace and stability in the region. We oppose any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East China Sea," the joint leaders' statement read.

 

 

The two leaders also reiterated their objections to China's unlawful maritime claims and activities in the South China Sea and reaffirmed our strong shared interest in a free and open South China Sea governed by international law, in which freedom of navigation and overflight are guaranteed, consistent with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

 

 

"We underscore the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and encourage the peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues. We share serious concerns regarding the human rights situations in Hong Kong and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region," the leaders' joint statement read.

 

"Together, we will continue to work with allies and partners, including with Australia and India through the Quad, which has never been stronger, to build the free, open, accessible, diverse, and thriving Indo-Pacific we all seek. We support ASEAN's unity and centrality in the Indo-Pacific, as well as the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific," it added.

 

China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea and has overlapping territorial claims with Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan.

 

 

China has been increasing its maritime activities in both the South China Sea and the East China Sea over the past few months, partly in response to Beijing's concerns over the increasing US military presence in the region because of escalating Sino-US tensions. Beijing's rising assertiveness against counter claimants in the East and South Sea has resulted in unprecedented agreement across the Indo-Pacific.

 

Earlier on Wednesday, Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh said that India has observed regular presence of Chinese Navy in the Indian Ocean Region over the past decade. "As far as if they will move in the Indian Ocean Region, we have seen a regular Chinese naval presence in the Indian Ocean Region for over a decade now," he said.