TOKYO – Asked about China at his first press conference last month, President Biden predicted fierce competition and said the US would be relentless in telling the world about human rights abuses in Beijing.
One week earlier, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga was asked a similar question at his own news conference. He said that Tokyo and Beijing have various problems between them and left them there.
The failure of the Allies to address China head-on is a challenge to Mr Biden’s foreign policy, who emphasizes working with them to amplify America’s global power.
This Friday, Mr Suga will become the first foreign leader to meet personally with Mr Biden, a distinction made by Japan. However, political and business leaders in Tokyo are anxious to enlist in a public confrontation with China, supporting the hope of a mode of operation that will restrict the Beijing army but keep profitable trade more or less untouched.
“Japan is working to ensure that distrust of security does not affect economic ties,” said Rumi Aoyama, a professor at Waseda University.