Japan, Australia share China concerns, raise defence ties

Japanese FM Toshimitsu Motegi said the officials shared their concerns about China’s activity in the East and South China Seas as a challenge to the international community.

Foreign and defence ministers from Japan and Australia agreed on Wednesday to strengthen their security ties as China becomes more assertive in pressing its claims to contested areas in the Asia-Pacific region. Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi told reporters after the talks held online that the officials shared their concerns about China’s activity in the East and South China Seas as a challenge to the international community. Japan regularly protests to China over its coast guard presence near Japanese-controlled Senkaku islands, which China also claims and calls Diaoyu. Chinese vessels routinely violate Japanese territorial waters around the islands, sometimes threatening fiishing boats, Japanese officials say.