Using its status as a piece on US chessboard to advantage, Japan spreads its military wings: China Daily editorial

Some "anonymous diplomatic sources" in the Japanese government told the Japanese media that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's visit to the Philippines from Friday is aimed at enhancing "deterrence through regular joint training exercises with the United States" in face of "China's territorial claims in the East and South China seas". They deserve credit for their straightforwardness, if not bluntness.

In stark contrast, the hypocrisy of Kishida-style diplomacy is evident in the Kishida government's actions, as it moves toward turning Japan into a permanent robotic piece on Washington's geopolitical chessboard to help the US contain China.

The Kishida government even copies Washington's diplomatic discourse in its statement on the objectives of the Japanese prime minister's three-day visit to the Philippines, and Malaysia, claiming he "will confirm cooperation in maintaining and strengthening a free and open international order based on the rule of law as well as in ensuring a world where human dignity is protected".

As a matter of fact, Tokyo seeks to strengthen the US' rules and maintain the US' hegemony in the region by pushing the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries to the forefront to confront China, so the US can play its dirty geopolitical games from behind the screen.

During Kishida's visit to Manila, the two sides will reportedly negotiate a bilateral treaty to increase security cooperation and facilitate joint military drills, and hold talks on a "Reciprocal Access Agreement" which they hope to sign early next year.

The treaty is intended to facilitate the transfer of defense personnel between the two countries for training and disaster relief operations while relaxing restrictions on the transportation of weapons and supplies. It will be Japan's first RAA with a member state of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the third after the agreements with Australia and the United Kingdom that took effect earlier this year. This means Japan is taking advantage of it doing the US' bidding as an opportunity to open new channels for expanding its military presence overseas, citing China as their common threat.

Kishida and the Philippine leader, media reports say, will also talk about Tokyo's delivery of defense equipment to Manila under a framework of official security assistance established in April this year. That is expected to include more large patrol vessels for the Philippine Coast Guard to help improve the latter's capability to respond to China's actions in the waters of the South China Sea. Tokyo gifted Manila two such vessels last year.

However, Manila should realize that Tokyo is doing nothing but turning it into a US pawn which will help Washington enjoy advantage in its geopolitical rivalry with Beijing. It should also know which party will be left high and dry once China and the US refind their way to peaceful coexistence.