China warned Monday the United States and Japan to "stop inventing imaginary enemies" following their statement directed at China during talks in Tokyo.

"We strongly urge the US and Japan to immediately stop interfering in China's internal affairs and stop creating imaginary enemies," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said.

After discussions in Tokyo on Sunday, US and Japanese officials criticized what they described as Beijing's "destabilizing actions" in the South China Sea. They also condemned what they perceive as Russia's increasing military cooperation with China and DPRK.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and their Japanese counterparts expressed their firm objections to "China's illegal maritime claims, the militarization of reclaimed areas, and its provocative activities in the South China Sea," according to a joint statement.

China's "destabilizing actions in this region include unsafe encounters at sea and in the air, efforts to disrupt other countries' offshore resources exploitation, as well as the dangerous use of Coast Guard and maritime militia vessels," the communique added. 
 
Furthermore, they accused China of "intensifying attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by force or coercion in the East China Sea" and that Chinese "foreign policy seeks to reshape the international order for its own benefit at the expense of others". 

China's Lin stressed that the joint statement "disregards facts, mixes up right and wrong, and maliciously attacks China's foreign policy."
 
He emphasized that the communique "crudely meddles in China's internal affairs, maliciously attacks and smears China on maritime issues, makes thoughtless remarks on China's normal military development and defense policy, exaggerates and kicks up a fuss about the China threat, and maliciously hypes up regional tensions."

Japan and US boost military ties citing China threat

Japanese and US defense and diplomatic officials agreed to enhance military cooperation by upgrading the command and control of US forces in Japan and boosting American-licensed missile production. They cited what they perceive as a growing threat from China as "the greatest strategic challenge."

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, along with Japanese counterparts Yoko Kamikawa and Minoru Kihara, met at the Japan-US Security Consultative Committee (known as "2+2" security talks) in Tokyo, reaffirming their alliance amid President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the November presidential race.

The discussions occurred ahead of the Quad meeting with foreign ministers from Australia, Japan, the US, and India.

Currently, over 50,000 US troops are stationed in Japan. The US Forces Japan (USFJ) commander based in Yokota, Tokyo's western suburbs, lacks direct authority and operates under the United States Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) in Hawaii. The new plans will reportedly enhance USFJ capabilities while maintaining its reporting structure to INDOPACOM.

The command upgrade “will be the most significant change to the US Forces Japan since its creation, and one of the strongest improvements in our military ties with Japan in 70 years,” Austin said. “These new operational capabilities and responsibilities will advance our collective deterrence.”

“We are standing at a historic turning point as the rules-based, free and open international order is shaken to the core,” Kamikawa said. “Now is a critical phase when our decision today determines our future.”

US further meddles in East Asia

In his opening remarks, Austin claimed that China is “engaging in coercive behavior, trying to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas, around Taiwan, and throughout the region.” 

He also alleged that the DPRK’s nuclear program and its increasing collaboration with Russia “threaten regional and global security.”

In a joint statement released after the talks, the ministers claimed that China's foreign policy aims to reshape the international order for its own advantage at the expense of others. They added, "such behavior is a serious concern to the alliance and the entire international community and represents the greatest strategic challenge in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.”

The ministers stated that the planned changes to US command, scheduled for March to align with Japan's own command updates, are intended “to facilitate deeper interoperability and cooperation on joint bilateral operations in peacetime and during contingencies” and to improve intelligence coordination, surveillance, reconnaissance, and cybersecurity.

It is worth noting that China views the increased US cooperation with Japan as a significant threat. The growing military collaboration, including joint operations and arms industry cooperation, reinforces China's apprehensions about a stronger, more integrated US-Japan alliance that could aid the US in its regional ambitions. 

China has urged Japan to contribute constructively to maintaining and promoting peace, stability, and development, rather than acting as a "vanguard" for Western expansion into the Asia-Pacific region. Observers have noted that such rhetoric criticizing China reveals Japan's true intention to vilify the Taiwan issue and stir up regional tensions.  

Read more: China seeks stable, productive relations with Japan: Premier Li Qiang