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America Builds Its Own Great Wall
Australian Prime Minister John Howard began an official visit to Japan yesterday. Today, he and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will sign a joint declaration on defense that practically amounts to a tripartite military union of the United States, Japan and Australia. In Beijing, they are worried that Washington is trying to hammer together a bloc to contain China's growing influence in Eastern Asia.
Today's declaration does not have the status of an agreement (Japanese politicians say that the country's constitution prohibits Tokyo to conclude full military agreements), but military cooperation between Tokyo and Canberra will significantly increase because of it. The two countries will jointly fight terrorism, conduct peacekeeping missions, protect each other from common enemies, conduct military exercises and exchange intelligence data.
Australia is the second country Japan has signed such a declaration has been signed. The first was signed with the United States in 1960. Thus, Japan and Australia will become each other's second largest military ally after the U.S. Some in Australia recalled that Japan had tried to land military forces on Australia in the 1940s.
The intelligence services of the three countries already work together closely gathering information on China. That country is alarmed at the new alliance. It also noted that the signing is taking place just after U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney's Asian tour. He visited Tokyo and then Canberra at the end of last month. Tokyo has made its opinion known that India should be included in the bloc eventually. Howard is actively trying to calm Chinese misgiving. He stated that Australia has “a good relationship with China. don't believe for a moment that this declaration is going to damage our relationship with China.”
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Mar. 13, 2007
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