Japan, China spar over Beijing's actions in the Indo-Pacific

The Bluebook reportedly criticises China’s actions in the South China Sea and its efforts to alter the status quo in the East and South China Sea.

China is challenging Japan’s recent evaluation of the threat posed to the IndoPacific region by Beijing, dismissing it as a hyped-up threat and a false accusation, Voice of America reported.

According to Japanese media reports and the Japanese Foreign Ministry’s annual Diplomatic Bluebook (an annual report on Japan’s foreign policy and international diplomacy published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan), released on Tuesday, China’s military activities are described as the “greatest strategic challenge.”

However, an official English version of the report has not been made public, as per Voice of America.

The Bluebook reportedly criticises China’s actions in the South China Sea and its efforts to alter the status quo in the East and South China Sea.

Following this, Japanese media says that for the first time since 2019, Japan seeks to build “a mutually beneficial relationship” with China “based on common strategic interests.”