Japan and Taiwan Conduct First Joint Coast Guard Drill
Amid escalating tensions between China and Taiwan, Japan and Taiwan conducted their first-ever joint coast guard drill off Japan's eastern coast. The drill, held on Thursday, involved a Japanese patrol boat and a Taiwanese vessel.
While Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi denied the drill targeted any specific country, China expressed strong opposition and lodged a complaint with Japan. China claims Taiwan as its own territory and has not ruled out using force to take it.
The drill is seen as an effort to expand maritime cooperation between Japan and Taiwan, who share basic values, economic ties, and people exchanges. Japan plans to deepen cooperation and ties with Taiwan further based on their existing non-governmental, practical relations.
This development comes as Japan has been stepping up its coast guard capability and expanding joint exercises. In June, Japan conducted its first trilateral joint search and rescue drills with the U.S. and South Korean counterparts. Last year, Japanese and U.S. coast guards provided capacity-building support to their Philippine counterparts.
China's opposition to the Japan-Taiwan drill highlights the complex geopolitical landscape in the region and the growing concerns about China's assertive activities in regional seas.